


Bringing Color

by InfectiousKpop



Category: GOT7
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-07
Updated: 2017-01-11
Packaged: 2018-05-25 06:51:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 46,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6184942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InfectiousKpop/pseuds/InfectiousKpop
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone is born without the ability to see color. You only develop the ability to see them when you find your perfect match. Once you find them, the spectrum and intensity of the colors you see grows as you become more attached to the other person. The bad news is that when that person dies, so does your ability to see world's color. </p><p>For as long Mark can remember, he's thought the whole soulmates deal was a rip off. When he turns 22 and still hasn't seen a single spec of color, he starts to accept the inevitable fact that he'll either never find his match or they're already dead. Or maybe they never even existed.</p><p>But when he accidentally falls into Jackson at the airport, his entire world changes. He only had to travel to the other end of the globe to understand what love really was.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Little History

When everyone on Earth was born, they saw the world in black and white. Color was a piece of nature’s beauty that no one could experience until they’d found someone to share it with. A lot of people believed that person was your perfect match. They thought that seeing color was a sign you were meant to be together.

Though he never had any other explanation for it all, Mark hated the idea of waiting to find his soulmate to see color. Sure, finding someone who was suited for you was cool and everything, but it took away an indescribably life-changing sensation for the entire beginning of your life. At least, that’s how color had always been explained to him. Was true love really worth missing out? Mark wasn’t so sure.

And as if growing up without it wasn’t bad enough, all color disappeared again when the other person died. Mark heard his mom go on about how poetic and romantic it all was, but if your soulmate died before you even met them, then you’d always see everything in black and white.

When he was younger and everyone else was in the same boat, all the kids in Mark’s class could bond over the curiosity. What was red? How could one shade of gray actually be so many different things? It was something none of them knew and all wanted to find out. But that friendship switched in the blink of an eye as they got older.

The first time one of Mark’s classmates saw color, he was thirteen. After a long holiday weekend, the boy came back screaming to everyone who would listen about how he saw something strange at the mall, which turned out to be purple. He didn’t even know who his soulmate was or where he’d seen them. A person’s ability to see the full spectrum relied on how close they were with their other half, so he could only see the one color and it was still super dull. But it was more than anyone else in the class. Easy to say, everyone else was at least a little jealous.

By the time his 22 birthday came around, Mark was convinced that his soulmate had either died or never existed in the first place. He’d never heard of not having a soul mate being a thing, but there was a first for everything, right? Almost everyone else his age had at least seen one color and those who hadn’t were the kind of people that gave off the “forever alone” vibe. When he first turned 20, the frustration he felt got so bad that he’d ended up punching too many holes to count through doors and walls.

He’d since calmed down, accepting his black-and-white future. Most nights he aimlessly surfed the internet or drank away his sadness in the solitude of his college dorm room. Talking was not something he did willingly. A dark corner with a bottle of gin was more his style of coping.

How his mom had managed to find out about his not-so-healthy drinking habits, Mark didn’t know. But two weeks before the end of the semester, an envelope with flight tickets and a note appeared in his mailbox.

“You need to get away from your own head, dear. Drinking your life away won’t do anyone any good. I’ve bought you tickets to see your uncle in Taiwan for a few days. I also got you a ticket to Hong Kong. I know how you’ve wanted to go there. It’s only for a day, but I hope you have a good time. Just go enjoy yourself, dear.”

As much as he wanted to be upset with his mother for meddling around in his life, he knew she meant well. Besides, she’d just given him the chance to go experience one of the best nightlife atmospheres in the world. How could he be mad?

The days leading up to the trip were torture. Between finals and the growing excitement of finally getting to go to Hong Kong, Mark felt mentally exhausted. Anticipation and stress didn’t mix well. He even forgot to pack until the night before. Luckily, his entire wardrobe was a mix of black and white pieces with a few gray pieces that he knew were some sort of color he still couldn’t see.

He packed enough clothes for a week plus some, just to be on the safe side, before turning his attention to his backpack. When it came to his carry on, his laptop, phone and headphones were given additions. Aside from that, he threw in a notebook and pen, just in case some lyrics popped into his head on the plane, and the black cloth mask that he wore when he went to visit his family in Taiwan.

That night, he barely slept. Thoughts of all the things he wanted to do bubbled up in his head. Between the food and the sightseeing and the shopping and the nightlife, there was too much. The list suited a week-long trip more than a quick one-day pit stop. Cutting anything seemed impossible. Everything was on the list for a different reason. How could he say one thing was more important that the other?

He wished his mom had just let him stay there for the whole week instead of teasing him for a day before sending him to see family. Nothing against them, but there was nothing exciting about going to see his family for the billionth time. Not in comparison to the new experiences he could have in a different city.

It was fortunate that he could sleep on planes. Staying up all night trying to plan out his day meant he was the closest thing to a passed out drunk while still being able to function. Moving through LAX came easy, though. His pre-flight routine - go to the bathroom, grab snacks and water, settle into a seat close to the gate but not too close and mess around on his phone until it was time to board - felt like second nature thanks to how many times he’d done it in his life.

Most of the 15-hour flight Mark spent asleep. The seats weren’t exactly comfortable and he had to curl into an awkward position just to make sure he didn’t fall over onto the older woman next to him, but he somehow managed to doze off. He only had to sit through two movies, both of which he wanted to watch anyway, before the captain announced their arrival. By the time they touched down, Mark felt rested, refreshed and only a tad bit sore. He did his best to stretch out in the aisle as he waited in line to get off the plane, but he couldn’t do much besides roll his neck a few times. He raked his hand through his shaggy locks a few times before pulling his beanie back on his head. He almost forgot about the mask in his backpack, putting it on just before the people in front of him started shuffling forward.

For a major international hub, the Hong Kong airport was surprisingly quiet. Business people in perfectly tailored suits rushed around, attache cases and rolling bags in tow. A few families milled around here and there. Other than that, though, there was hardly anyone around. That was, until he turned a corner just before the customs area. Suddenly, he was in the middle of a huge rush of people. Some of them ran around with expensive cameras while others screamed, holding their phones up to record whoever it was that the mob was surrounding.

One of the photographers rushed past Mark, accidentally elbowing him out of the way as she passed. It wasn’t so hard that it hurt, but it knocked him off balance. He stumbled backward, tripping over his own feet, and crashed into someone.

“Oohf!” they huffed. It was a deep, powerful voice that made Mark afraid to look behind him. He could just imagine some huge, important-looking executive staring down at him, screaming about how he’d somehow messed everything up. Mark dreaded facing the man, but the politeness forced into him since birth made him turn around.

“I’m so sor-” he started, eyes moving up to look at the other person’s face. Mark felt his heart stop as his eyes locked with the other person’s. Instead of the angry middle-aged man he’d been expecting, Mark was face-to-face with one of the most handsome men he’d ever seen. The man’s huge, apologetic eyes watched Mark, silently wondering if he was okay. Mark didn’t even notice when the man’s entire face suddenly shifted into a look of pure excitement. He didn’t even notice that he could suddenly see the chocolate brown color of the man’s eyes or the platinum gold of his hair.

Mark didn’t need to see anything to know that they were meant to be together. As soon as he laid eye on the man, he just knew. He was it.


	2. The Boy In White

Jackson Wang was positive he’d died. The boy standing in front of him couldn’t be real. There was no way. The smooth, flawless skin and perfectly swept hair were things from an old painting or a photoshopped picture, not reality. His eyes skimmed the face in front of him again and again, desperately looking for some sort of imperfection to prove this wasn’t a dream. As he looked back up at the boy’s hair, he noticed something.

The beanie on the boy’s head looked strange, to say the least. Jackson couldn’t explain what he was seeing, but he knew that he’d never seen anything like it before. Was this what color looked like? His heart began to race even faster as he glanced around him, noticing the strange sight on other things around them. This must be color. That was the only thing that made any sense. Suddenly, his mind was filled with questions. What color was this? Was this as intense as it got? How many more were there?

He’d never cared much about colors before. He couldn’t see them, so there was no point in wasting time trying to understand them. But now that he could, everything changed. He was transfixed. They made everything around him completely different. It was like finding out about spices when you’d only eaten boiled chicken for the first 22 years of your life.

It took Jackson a moment to process everything. Between the questions in his head and the sensory overload, he almost forgot about the angelic boy that had bumped into him.  _ My soulmate _ , Jackson thought. Heat rose through his body at the realization. How could such a perfect looking person be his other half? He looked back just in time to see two of the airport security guards grab both of the boy’s arms.

“Wait, don’t,” he blurted out. “He just fell. No harm done.” Jackson brushed away the guards’ hands with his own, being sure to leave his hand on the boy’s arm a second longer than he needed to. For such a slender-looking person, his arms were rock solid. 

The other was staring at him now, eyes wide. Maybe he’d finally recognized who he’d run into. Not that Jackson wanted that. Deep down, he hoped that the boy didn’t know who he was at all. Something about his perfect match knowing him as a celebrity didn’t sit quite right. He missed the days when people met him as Jackson Wang the person instead of Jackson Wang the international idol.

“I, uhm,” the boy muttered, voice trailing off almost instantly. Jackson smiled, tilting his head as he watched the other squirm a little. He couldn’t tell if the boy was uncomfortable or just socially awkward. Either way, Jackson wanted to end his silent suffering as soon as he could.

“Sorry about them,” he said, nodding toward the security guards. “They’re supposed to make sure I get through the airport safely. I’m Jackson.” He held out his hand to the other, who stared at it for a second before moving his own hand up to shake it. “Mark,” he muttered quietly.  Even his voice made Jackson’s heart race. It was deep and a little rough, like he’d just woken up. Nothing like he’d expected. No, Mark’s voice was better than anything Jackson could have ever imagined.

Once their hands dropped back down to their sides, Mark looked around at the crowd that had surrounded them. Only the sound of camera shutters interrupted the otherwise unusual silence. Everyone held their breath, desperate to hear what the two were saying. Jackson had no doubt pictures and rumors would start spreading as soon as he left the airport. Who knew. Maybe they’d already started.

Taking advantage of Mark’s temporary distraction, Jackson glanced over the rest of Mark’s body. He looked like a stick. Though, after feeling the firmness of his arm, Jackson knew that the boy had some serious muscle hidden under the fitted white long-sleeve shirt he was wearing. The shirt’s collar was just wide enough for the very top of Mark’s collarbone to peek out. Jackson felt his face flare up as soon as he saw it. Mark was publicly exploiting Jackson’s weakness without even knowing it.

“I hope you don’t take this the wrong way,” Mark muttered, “but are you famous or something?” Jackson’s eyes shot back up to Mark’s face, suddenly extremely embarrassed that he’d been caught staring. Heat continued to rise to his cheeks as he studied Mark’s expression. He genuinely didn’t know who Jackson was.

Relief flowed over him. His soulmate had absolutely no idea who he was and it was the greatest feeling in the world. Lips curving into a wide grin, Jackson just shrugged. “It doesn’t matter,” he said, knowing that probably sounded more like a cover up than the truth. But he really meant it. All of his fame and attention didn’t matter at the moment. All that mattered was the two of them, here and now. God, he sounded like a cheesy romance movie.

“Jackson, we have to go,” his manager said from a few steps behind him. Jackson glanced over his shoulder and nodded.

“I have somewhere I have to be,” Jackson said. Mark’s eyes flicked down to the floor, letting his insecurity show. It was endearing, if not a tad frustrating in Jackson’s eyes. Didn’t Mark see how perfect he was? He should know that Jackson wasn’t leaving because he wanted to. “Do you have Kakao or something? I’d like to keep in touch, if you want to.”

Nerves welled up inside him. Doing anything for the first time was always stress-inducing, but asking for someone else’s number for the first time was almost nausea-level stressful. As seconds ticked by, Jackson started to wonder if he’d done something wrong. Had he seemed too creepy when he asked? Was Mark just not into him, despite them being fated to be together? He’d seen stories about that happening.

But, after what felt like forever but was really only a few seconds, Mark finally spoke up. “I don’t know what Kakao is, but I can write down your info and add you once I set one up.” Jackson would’ve laughed if it weren’t for the sheer terror that swallowed him at the thought. Having his information written down on paper for anyone to snatch away would only lead to some of the more crazy fans attacking Mark. That was the last thing Jackson needed to have connected with him in any way.

“No. No. Here, just give me your phone for a sec,” Jackson said, holding out his hand. Mark stared at him, shocked. But he handed over the phone, unlocked and ready for Jackson to explore. With a few quick taps, Jackson added his information under the name “Gaga” then handed the phone back. “That’s a nickname only my parents know,” he whispered. “It’s too dangerous for you to have my real name in there.”

That was half true. The obsessive fans really might try to steal Mark’s phone if they knew it would be easy to get Jackson’s contact information. But Jackson also didn’t want Mark looking up who he was. Sure, he could probably figure it out just by searching “Jackson celebrity”, but not just giving him the name in the first place made it at least a tiny bit more difficult.

“Text me whenever you want,” Jackson added, noticing his manager motioning to him impatiently. “I have to go, but it was really nice to meet you, Mark. I hope I hear from you soon.”

His manager pulled him away before Mark even had a chance to respond. From a few steps away, though, Jackson could’ve sworn he heard the other boy say, “Nice to meet you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to get out, everyone! Between craziness at work and me going crazy about the new comeback trailer, I didn't work on this nearly as often as I should have. If you haven't already watched the trailer, what are you doing with your life? Go watch it now!
> 
> Anyway, what did you think of Jackson's POV? Did he react the way you thought he would? Let me know in the comments.
> 
> And thank you to everyone who left kudos and comments on the first chapter. They're much appreciated. I'll try and get the next chapter out a little quicker this time, but no guarantees. Especially with teaser hell next week, I might be a sobbing mess curled up in a corner most of the time. Ahahahaha.


	3. How Do You Live Like This?

There was barely any time to really appreciate the sudden appearance of color in his life. It dotted his vision everywhere, shading in signs and clothes all around him. It even appeared in the mob of fans that rushed at him as soon as Jackson got dragged away.

Getting out of the airport sucked after that. With no personal security guards of his own, there was nothing to stop a handful of extremely nosy fans from trying to surround Mark every chance they got. They overwhelmed him with questions, demanding that he tell them what Jackson had said to him and what he’d done with Mark’s phone. “It’s not fair,” they kept saying, complaining about how he’d gotten to have a conversation with their future husband when they couldn’t. 

Mark was beyond relieved that there were no physical signs of finding your soulmate. If any of these fans knew about them, about what had just been revealed, he’d probably been on his way to the hospital by now, if not dead.

He wondered how popular someone had to be to have such insane fans following them around. By the time Mark grabbed his checked bag and settled into the taxi taking him to his hotel, he’d already started searching for “Jackson GaGa” on the internet. Nothing useful came up. He scowled, trying to remember if the other had said what he was famous for. When he couldn’t remember, he just typed “Jackson famous”. Lots of varying results appeared with that, naturally, so Mark narrowed it down by adding “Hong Kong” to the list.

A row of breathtaking pictures of Jackson popped up, followed by article after article with titles that screamed gossip.

_ Jackson Wang Saves Life at Airport.  _

_ Who is Jackson’s New Friend? Fans Demand Answers. _

He opened them one by one. All of them featured pictures of Mark and Jackson talking, some less flattering than others. It felt weird, seeing his face on all these websites. Never in his 22 years of existence had he imagined to see himself front and center on gossip news sites on the other side of the world. He wondered how many people actually read these stories.

Mark scowled after scanning through the first few. Some had gone so far as to suggest they were secret lovers who’d planned the whole encounter as an excuse to see each other during Jackson’s busy schedule. Rumors got out of hand fast, it seemed. Those were the last straw. He knew full well that facts weren’t something those kinds of sites focused on. If he wanted to learn more about Jackson, he needed to stay far, far away from articles like those.

When he arrived at the hotel, he immediately checked in and hurried up to his room, shocked to see a few girls in the lobby pointing at him and taking pictures with their phones. Word didn’t just spread fast, it spread almost instantaneously. Once he got to his room, he moved his bag against the wall and dropped onto the bed, suddenly exhausted from everything that had happened. Part of him wanted to just curl up and fall asleep. But that seemed like a waste of the little time he had in Hong Kong. Besides, all the commotion at the airport made him hungry.

Pulling his phone from his pocket, Mark’s thumb hovered over the contacts tab for a second. He’d meant to just search nearby restaurants, but the idea of messaging Jackson popped into his head as he saw the button. The international texting charges would be ridiculous, but he couldn’t remember the name of the app Jackson mentioned at the airport. He laid on the bed, staring at his home screen. Wouldn’t texting him now seem too desperate? What did he even say? “Hi, it’s that guy from the airport, where can I get something to eat?”

But Mark knew he wouldn’t be able to think about anything else until he sent something. He scrolled through the few contacts in his phone, finding “GaGa” easily, and opened up a new message. After typing and deleting his message a dozen times, Mark finally settled on something simple enough that it couldn’t go wrong.

“Hey, it’s Mark from the airport. What was the name of that app you mentioned?”

He sent the message before he could overthink it and dropped his phone next to him. For a few seconds, he considered just lying there on the bed, waiting until Jackson responded. But Mark was sure Jackson had other things to do. The way his manager all but dragged him out of the airport must’ve meant he had a busy day.

Even though he’d only slept on the plane, Mark still felt disgusting. Maybe that’s what happened when dozens of crazy girls follow you around, he thought. A shower would pass the time, not to mention feel great. If he didn’t hear back from Jackson by the time he finished, he’d see what he could find to eat.

The long, warm shower that he planned on taking quickly turned into a short and slightly aggravating one. The shower head was pathetic and the water pressure changed so much that it was a struggle just to get clean. Once he’d managed to scrub down his body and rinse most of the shampoo out of his hair, Mark gave up. He ran the towel over his platinum hair a few times before wrapping it around his waist and stepping out.

Deciding on what to wear only took a few minutes, as he picked out a pair of ripped up skinny jeans and a couple long-sleeve shirts. If he was going to wander around the city, he at least wanted to be comfortable.

He’d moved on to aimlessly messing with his hair when he heard his text notification ring from the other room. He dropped everything, rushing to his phone faster than he would ever admit to anyone, and stared at the screen. There was a text, but the name wasn’t the one he’d expected.

_ Mom: Why am I seeing your photo all over the internet? _

_ Mom: Why did you meet Jackson Wang and not tell me? _

_ Mom: Did you at least get an autograph for me? _

Something inside him twisted, excitement slowly fading into disappointment. He fell back onto the bed as his mind suddenly filled with all the people who’d taken his picture since the moment he ran into Jackson. The articles he’d seen in the taxi all featured pictures of him. A big nobody compared to the person he’d been standing next to, that was for sure. And now, his mother had seen them.

He looked back at his phone, taking a minute to marvel at the obscure shade of the leaves in his background image before reopening his mom’s texts.

_ Mark: Sorry. I just bumped into him on accident. _

He paused for a minute, trying to decide if his mother was really the best person to ask his next question. He knew that she would most likely figure everything out in a heartbeat if he did. He just hoped that she didn’t freak out about it all.

_ Mark: What color is this picture? _

He attached his background image and closed out of the conversation. He couldn’t stand thinking about his mother squealing on the other side of the world right now.

Without even thinking, he started searching Jackson’s name again. This time, he focused on Wikipedia and bio pages instead of the gossip articles that distracted him before. He made a few quick mental notes as he read. Jackson was younger than him, but only by a few months. He was a singer in South Korea. It looked like he traveled a lot filming TV shows in both China and Korea. He’d already won awards for his TV appearances.

It all overwhelmed Mark. He knew that Jackson was a star, sure. The fangirls and paparazzi all but screamed popularity. But an international sensation was a whole other story. How could he ever even talk to someone that famous without getting swarmed by random people? And, truly, a life in front of a camera was the last thing he wanted.

His phone buzzed again. This time, he waited for a minute, simmering in his thoughts. His mom could wait a few extra seconds. But he almost choked when he finally looked at the screen.

_ GaGa: Couldn’t stay away, huh? ;) It’s Kakao. _

Mark looked up and installed the app without a second thought. He wanted to keep talking with Jackson, and international texting costed a fortune. That was something he really didn’t have. This was his only solution. Only a few suggested contacts popped up. He recognized a couple as his cousins and other relatives whose numbers never got deleted from his phone.

Then, right in the middle of the list, there was one without a picture that just said  _ 852Puppy _ . The name didn’t seem like something a celebrity would choose as their username, but maybe that was the whole point. Mark double checked the contact number before adding them to his friends.

He didn’t really know what to say to start up the conversation, though. The one line he’d managed to come up with had been used up. After a few minutes, he decided to just send a picture instead of saying anything. Selcas were one of the few things he felt truly gifted at.

Mark raked a hand through his hair a few times, pushing it off to one side before moving his phone up to just the right angle. He took a few shots before feeling confident in one and sending it.

_ 852Puppy: Hello to you too. _

_ 852Puppy: Just hanging out in a hotel room? _

Mark smiled, trying not to think too much about the fact that Jackson must have looked at the picture long enough to study the background.

_ SilenT93: Just about to go find some food. _

_ SilenT93: Any suggestions? _

The search results for food nearby seemed average at best. If Mark really wanted good food, he’d have to catch a taxi and go further into the city. He glanced at the time. It was already 2 in the afternoon. If he went downtown, he might as well stay there for the rest of the day.

_ 852Puppy: I’ve got a place in mind, but I wanna take you there myself, if you’re up for it. _

Mark’s breath caught as he read the message over and over again. Was Jackson asking him out? It seemed like it. But then again, maybe it was just some exclusive place you could only get in if you were a celebrity. Maybe he was just being friendly. 

He rolled his eyes at his own uncertainty. Who would take a stranger to a fancy place if they just wanted to be friends? He wanted to ask Jackson if he meant it as a date, but he couldn’t find the courage to type out the question.

_ SilenT93: I’m only here until tomorrow at afternoon. _

_ 852Puppy: What? Where are you going? _

_ SilenT93: Taiwan. _

_ 852Puppy: Oh. _

_ 852Puppy: Let me make a call. _

Mark frowned, returning to his food search. Why was he making a call? Who was he calling? Marks’ mind filled up with these stupidly obsessive questions. After a few more minutes of dismal food search results, he sat up, packed up his backpack and headed down to the lobby. 

Settling into a chair as the front desk attendant called him a taxi, Mark barely noticed the girls across the room pointing and giggling. Barely. The were different that those who’d been snapping pictures of him when he came in earlier, which surprised Mark even more.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. 

_ 852Puppy: I’ve got filming until 8, but I can pick you up around 9. Where are you staying? _

It took all of three seconds for Mark to type out the name of the hotel. He heard the girls giggle again, their whispering getting louder and louder by the minute. As he found out, glancing up at them was a terrible choice. They all stared at each other for a minute before the girls held out their phones, pointed his way. 

Mark averted his attention back to his phone, trying desperately to fade into the background as best he could.

_ SilenT93: How do you handle all the attention? _

_ 852Puppy: I guess I just got used to it after a while. Why? _

_ SilenT93: There’s people taking my picture any time I’m in the lobby. It’s awkward. _

_ 852Puppy: They recognize you? Already? _

_ SilenT93: I guess so? _

_ 852Puppy: Shit. I’m sorry. _

_ SilenT93: For what? _

_ 852Puppy: Dragging you into all this. _

_ 852Puppy: I never meant to. _

_ 842Puppy: If I could make it stop, I would. _

Mark took a deep breath. Maybe only staying for a day wasn’t such a bad thing after all. Maybe if he left, people would leave him alone. Maybe they’d forget all about him. But that was a lot of maybes. Part of him wanted to believe they could happen. Deep down, though, he knew they were just fantasies, unlikely of ever becoming reality.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! I finally got this chapter done. I had a lot of it written a few days ago, but I just couldn't find the motivation to finish it. I was originally going to go further in the plot with this chapter, but I didn't want to keep you guys waiting much longer for a new chapter and, with the album dropping in less than 48 hours (OHMYGOSH), I don't know how much writing I'll be doing in the next week or so. Haha
> 
> Anyway, what did you all think? Were Jackson's crazy fans as nightmarish as you thought they would be? Where is Jackson going to take Mark for late dinner?
> 
> Don't forget to buy Flight Log: Departure and stream and talk about the boys on SNS! Gotta make this comeback strong!


	4. Nervous Doesn't Begin To Explain How I'm Feeling

Three torturously slow hours of filming separated Jackson from getting to see Mark again. Every break they got, Jackson pulled out his phone, checking to see if the other had messaged him back. It was always no, but it gave him an excuse to secretly stare at Mark’s picture. He was positive that if he stared at the picture long enough, he could memorize the boy’s face.

When shooting finally wrapped for the day, it took everything Jackson had not to full-on sprint to his dressing room. The faster he got changed, the faster he’d get to Mark’s hotel. As he made his way through the back hallways of the studio, he opened up their chat, taking a moment to appreciate the picture yet again before typing out a quick heads up.

_ 852Puppy: Just finished for the day. Leaving in about 5. We still on for dinner? _

Something about the heart-clenching anxiety he felt immediately after sending the message made him nervous. He’d never felt this way before, not even when he debuted. Why was he reacting like this? Mark stumbled into Jackson’s life less than 24 hours ago and he already had an effect on him.

_ SilenT93: Sure. I’m not at the hotel, though. I’m at that big mall downtown. _

Jackson tried to stifle the laugh that bubbled up in his throat. There were tons of big malls in Hong Kong. But he found the boy’s naively vague description endearing. It made him want to show Mark around his home city that much more.

After a few more messages, they decided on a meeting place. Jackson finished up changing and filled in his manager, who huffed unapprovingly. He didn’t say anything, though. He knew trying to prevent Jackson from doing anything was a lost cause once he’d set his mind to it. The manager agreed to let Jackson go out, so long as he took one of the managers or a security escort with him.

A quick car ride later, the driver pulled up outside the NBA Store the two agreed to meet at. Jackson immediately spotted Mark’s bright white-platinum hair pacing back and forth in front of the shop, the rest of him hidden by the crowd of people passing along.

Normally, Jackson wouldn’t risk going out in a crowded area like this if he didn’t have to. He barely made it through the crowds of fans at airports where he was surrounded by security. All alone would be impossible to control if anything happened. But he couldn’t just sit there and hope that Mark saw him, either. Especially not with him pacing like that.

He grabbed a hat from his bag, fitting it over his head in hopes of hiding himself at least a little. Fortunately, his loose black t-shirt didn’t have any super obvious brand names on it. That would help him blend in a little more. Once he was sure he’d done the best he could to conceal himself, he slid out of the van.

As Jackson made his way toward the boy, he noticed the other was on his phone. “Yeah, so I’ve heard,” Mark grumbled. “You’re the one who told me. Yes, like five minutes ago. I know. I know. I’m leaving tomorrow. Nothing’s gonna happen. I know. I know. I understand. Sure. Okay, I love you too. I’ll talk to you later.”

Jackson was at the ready when Mark turned back around. Clearly shocked, Mark didn’t back away when he saw the larger form standing behind him. Instead, their eyes stayed locked on each other, each trying to wordlessly take each other in.

“Ready to go?” Jackson asked, breaking the silence. As much as he’d love to stand there and stare at Mark forever, he couldn’t risk standing out in the open any longer than necessary.

Mark nodded, quickly stuffing his phone into his backpack and following Jackson to the van. It wasn’t until the two were climbing into the vehicle that a girl yelled out Jackson’s name. Everyone around them suddenly perked up, excited to get the chance to see the celebrity in person. Jackson slammed the van’s sliding door shut as soon as he could, hoping and praying that no one had noticed Mark.

“Wow, they really do recognize you anywhere,” Mark muttered, staring out of the window at the crowd starting to form around the van.

“Unfortunately,” Jackson replied. “Don’t get me wrong. I love my fans. It’s just that sometimes it’d be nice to be able to walk around without having to worry, you know?”

Mark nodded, staying silent and keeping his eyes fixed on his hands, which were resting in his lap. Jackson wanted nothing more than to reach out and grab one of his hands, but that would be weird and awkward. They barely knew each other.

“Who were you talking to back there?” Jackson asked. Mark’s eyes grew wide. He glanced over at Jackson, obviously flustered by the question. “I mean, you don’t have to tell me. I was just curious.”

After staring at him for a few more seconds with an expression Jackson couldn’t read, Mark’s eyes moved back to his hands. “It was my mom,” he said. “She saw pictures of us at the airport, so I had to call her.”

Jackson’s body freaked out when Mark mentioned the pictures. His stomach twisted in excitement that Mark had already talked to his mom about him, but his heart still ached over the fact that he’d had to go through the whole ordeal in the first place.

“I’m sure seeing your picture made her worry,” Jackson admitted, trying to bury the happiness that was bubbling up inside him.

“She was more worried about whether I got your autograph than anything else,” Mark admitted. Laughter erupted out of Jackson’s mouth, unable to keep it held back any longer.

“Your mom knows who I am?” he asked, unable to curb his curiosity.

Mark nodded. “She keeps an eye on Chinese tabloids so she has something to talk about with my family in Taiwan. At least, that’s what she says. I thinks she just likes reading gossip.”

“Well, I can sign something for her if you want,” Jackson offered. “It’s really the least I could do for putting you through all the chaos.”

The silence that followed his offer made Jackson nervous. Hell, everything made him nervous when it came to Mark. Had he said something wrong? His autograph had never lead to this quiet of a reaction before. Usually people squealed or laughed nervously or something. But Mark just continued to stare at his hands, lost in whatever he was thinking about.

“Uhm,” Mark finally muttered. Jackson could barely hear him over the hum of the van cruising toward their destination. “I mean, an autograph would be fine. But maybe a picture of us would be better?”

If he hadn’t been strapped down, Jackson would’ve fallen out of his seat. He could tell Mark was embarrassed to even ask in the first place. Jackson made a mental note that the other looked adorable when he acted shy. “I think that’s a great idea,” Jackson agreed. “Though is this for you or your mom?”

When Mark finally looked back up at him, Jackson winked playfully before breaking into another fit of laughter. The rosy pink that filled Mark’s cheeks just made Jackson laugh even harder. How one person could be so adorable, he’d never know.

After a few moments of uninterrupted hysterics, Jackson managed to calm himself down enough to explain himself, hoping Mark would understand. “I’m just asking because I might pose a little differently for a picture that’s for your mom. That’s all.”

“What?” Mark asked.

“I just… I mean…” Jackson stuttered, understanding all too late the slightly less pure undertones of what he’d said.

This time, it was Mark who laughed. It was more of a giggle really. The sound reminded Jackson a little of the hyenas from The Lion King, but brighter and more cheerful. It was one of those laughs that made you smile when you heard it.

The van slowed to a stop, pulling up to the curb of a small shopping area that looked mostly closed up for the night. The small restaurant they stopped in front of was lit up by a few dim wall lights. A row of tea light candles lined the windowsills, flickering in the night.

“Is that where we’re going?” Mark asked, pointing at the shop. Jackson didn’t even bother answering, instead sliding open the door and climbing out. He waited as Mark followed him out before closing the door and walking into the restaurant.

“Jia Er? Is that you, dear?” a woman called from the back.

“Yes, auntie. We’re here,” he answered, motioning for Mark to pick one of the handful of small tables that filled the restaurant. He watched Mark pick a spot then glance around, noticing the family portraits and random old photos hanging on the walls.

“Your aunt owns this place?” he asked after a few minutes of silent inspection.

“Well, she’s my mom’s best friend,” Jackson explained. “But I’ve called her auntie since I was a little kid. She may as well be actual family. Her pork cutlets are to die for.”

As if his nervousness hadn’t been obvious enough, the awkward segue from talking about his aunt to the food was like a spotlight in the middle of the night. Mark smirked, clearly enjoying Jackson’s sudden spurt of nervousness. 

Before Jackson could embarrass himself any further, a small woman with silver-streaked hair shuffled up to their table. The smile stretched across her face grew wider with each slightly-staggering step she took. As soon as Jackson noticed her, which took only a matter of seconds, he moved from his seat to her side to help her.

For a minute, he stopped watching Mark completely, focused on making sure the old woman made it to the table safely and had a seat. Seeing her so weak made him worry more than he probably needed to. Jackson always remembered her as the strong, sassy woman that teased him when he was younger. Seeing how she was now never stopped surprising him.

“Dear, stop fussing and introduce me already,” she said, the slight rasp in her throat making her sound even older.

Heat rose to Jackson’s cheeks as he moved back into his chair. He’d thought getting embarrassed in front of his friends in high school was bad enough. This felt ten times worse. “Right, sorry,” he muttered. “Auntie, this is Mark. Mark, this is my mom’s best friend, Chang LiHu.”

The woman scoffed and immediately scooped up Mark’s hand from the table. “I may as well be his mother for how often I had to look after him,” she said to Mark, a deceivingly sweet smile stretched across her face.

Mark laughed in return, making Jackson let out a sigh of relief. It wasn’t that his aunt was embarrassing - okay, maybe she was just a little bit sometimes - but Jackson didn’t want her eccentricity scaring his soulmate away.

“So how did you two meet?” she questioned, keeping Mark’s hand trapped in between hers.

“I accidentally fell into Jackson this morning at the airport,” Mark admitted quietly.

“This morning?” the woman echoed. Her eyes tore from Mark’s face to look over at Jackson with a confused look.

In the past, Jackson had always brought dates to the restaurant when they’d been together for at least a few weeks. He’d always considered meeting his family to be something more precious than a first date type thing. With Mark, though, it was different. As soon as he’d asked Jackson for suggestions, his aunt’s restaurant immediately popped into his head. And once the thought appeared, he couldn’t get it out of his head. Something inside him desperately wanted for everyone in his life to immediately meet the boy now sitting across from him.

Why? Jackson wasn’t sure. He barely knew anything about the American that stumbled into his life this morning. All he knew was that Mark was different from anyone he’d ever met before. Something about him made Jackson’s heart race at just the thought of him.

“Jia Er,” his aunt said, snapping him out of his momentary trance. Her eyes glimmered as she watched him. She knew he hadn’t been paying attention. “You really should have told me that Mark was so handsome. I would have changed into a better dress.”

Mark blushed, another small laugh escaping his lips. The woman patted his hands once more before pushing herself up onto her feet. “I smell the cutlets. Dinner will be ready soon.” Jackson moved to help her, but she waved him off before he could get to his feet and continued to shuffle back into the kitchen.

“I think she likes you,” Jackson joked once the coast was clear. Mark laughed, making Jackson’s heart skip. With just the one sound, his nerves vanished. Everything just felt comfortable now.

Maybe tonight would go better than what he’d allowed himself to hope for. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! This comeback is killing my writing time, let me tell you! Haha. Anyway, I meant for this chapter to be the entire date, but the lead up grew to include more than I originally thought it would, so I'm splitting it up.
> 
> Thanks to everyone who's commented and given kudos so far. I love reading what you guys have to say about the story and what you think of everything, so be sure to keep leaving your thoughts below.
> 
> Fingers crossed for #Fly2ndWin tonight on M Countdown!


	5. Something Entirely New

This tiny, hole in the wall restaurant was the last place Mark expected Jackson to take him. But that’s what made it all the more special. They hadn’t gone to some fancy getup with special VIP access like the movies, but someplace small and personal. Jackson was letting Mark into his real life, not the one he lived in front of the camera. Though, the more time he spent with the star, the more he started to think that the two lives were actually very similar. It took every ounce of energy he had not to giggle every five seconds. He couldn’t understand the nervous excitement coursing through his body. He couldn’t get it to stop, either.

Maybe it was the way they talked. Conversation flowed naturally between them, like they’d known each other their whole lives. Jackson did most of the talking, which he didn’t even seem to notice. Mark was relieved that he didn’t have to talk. He’d always been quiet, only really speaking up once he was comfortable with a person, and even then, he didn’t say much. Surprisingly enough, his comfort level with Jackson already seemed to be higher than with most of his friends that he’d known for years.

“So do you live in Taiwan?” Jackson asked between mouthfuls of cutlet. Mark could feel the other watching him, so he kept his eyes fixed on the food in front of him. He didn’t dare to look Jackson in the eye right now. Mark knew he’d get too shy, which lead to blushing, which lead to extreme embarrassment.

“No,” he answered quietly. “I’m just visiting family there for a little bit.” Mark paused, debating whether he should tell Jackson where he really lived before realizing there was no reason why he shouldn’t. It wasn’t like Jackson had time to follow him around the world. “I’m actually from the US.”

Mark glanced up just in time to see Jackson’s eyes widen. Whether it was in shock or amazement, Mark wasn’t quite sure, but his heart started to race. The thought of Jackson just getting up and leaving after learning that his other half lived on the other side of the world made him nervous. Sure they probably wouldn’t ever see each other again, but they could still text and stuff, right? This wasn’t all useless hope, right? Mark sucked his bottom lip between his teeth and chewed on it lightly. The habit came out the worst when he got anxious. This sudden desire to keep in contact with the other surprised him. He’d never felt so immediately drawn to someone. Usually it was the exact opposite, if he was being honest.

More anxious than he cared to admit, Mark’s fingers tugged the sleeves of his shirt over his hands. His eyes dropped from Jackson’s stunned expression, glancing over his neck and shoulders before fixing his gaze on the smooth skin of the other’s arms. Mark couldn’t help but stare at the perfectly sculpted biceps. Blood pumped through his veins faster and faster, making his whole body warm up in the process.

“I’ve always wanted to go to the States,” Jackson finally said. Mark glanced up to see the others’ eyes fixed on him, a small smirk stretched across his lips. He’d gotten caught staring. Mark immediately looked down to his sleeve-covered hands as embarrassment washed over him. It was all he could do not to crawl under a rock for the rest of his life.

Jackson, noticing his immediate reaction, slid a hand over Mark’s. “What part of the States?” he asked. “I’ve only seen you wear long sleeves, so I’m guessing someplace cold.”

Mark smirked and shook his head. He took a deep breath to calm his racing heart before looking up again. “I’m actually from LA,” he admitted. “But I’m going to school in Chicago. So I guess I’m kind of from someplace cold.”

Even as the conversation started to flow between them again, Jackson didn’t move his hand. Instead, Mark rotated his a little, opening them just enough for the other to drape his hand over Mark’s fingers instead of awkwardly holding onto his fists.

As they talked, Jackson never pressured Mark to say any more than he wanted to. Even when Mark mentioned his computer science major, Jackson didn’t press him, even though Mark could see that he desperately wanted to know more. Jackson was the first person who’d ever been so understanding about it all so quickly. It made Mark’s gut twist.

“What else do you do, then?” Jackson asked, breaking Mark out of his thoughts. “You know, when you aren’t at school.”

“Oh, not much,” Mark admitted. “I usually just mess around on my computer. I work at a bar a couple days a week.”

Jackson perked up at the mention of the bar. “You work at a bar?” he asked, a hint of fascination dancing over his words like it was some sort of elite, exclusive job. “Do you make drinks?”

Mark giggled. He’d tried making drinks once, but that had turned out with a lot of broken glass and a pool of alcohol on the bar top. “No, no. I’m a DJ.”

“Nah,” Jackson breathed, letting go of Mark’s hand to lean back in his chair. “I don’t believe it. You’re too quiet.”

“DJ’s don’t have to be loud,” Mark protested, which just seemed to make Jackson more shocked.

“But you have to yell and interact with the crowd and stuff.”

Mark rolled his eyes. “Not all DJs are like that. I just play some mixes, get paid and leave. I’m not playing for a festival or anything.”

Jackson smirked, watching Mark’s frazzled defense before putting his hands up in playful surrender. “Okay, okay. So there are quiet DJs.”

“Jia Er, I hate to be a nuisance on your date,” his aunt’s voice chimed in. Somehow, she’d managed to shuffle her way to the edge of the room without either of them noticing. “I’m glad you two are having a good time. But an old woman needs her sleep.”

The clock on the wall said it was almost 11. They’d been talking and eating for almost four hours. How could that much time have passed so quickly? Mark felt heat rise to his cheeks. His attention had been so set on Jackson, a fire could have started and he probably wouldn’t have noticed.

Jackson, however, didn’t seem the least bit surprised. “Yes, sorry auntie,” Jackson said, instinctively moving to her side. “Of course you should get some rest. We’ll get going. Are you sure you’re alright closing on your own?”

“I’ve closed up this store on my own for thirty years, Jia Er,” the woman replied. The sass in her voice made Mark bite back laughter. She truly did act like a family with Jackson. “Now you two go have fun somewhere else. Enjoy being young.”

Despite her old age and difficulty walking, the woman managed to move fast enough to shoo them out the door, locking it behind them the instant it closed. Jackson glanced back when he heard the click. Anyone could see how nervous he got at the thought of her being alone, no matter how long she’d been living on her own. Once the main lights switched off, Jackson turned back around and smiled lightly at Mark. The older didn’t mind waiting. Watching Jackson be openly vulnerable in front of him made something inside him tingle.

The two started walking down the street side-by-side. Passing cars and the buildings around gave off just enough light for them to make out the sidewalk. Mark had no idea where they were going. It didn’t look like Jackson did either, but neither of them cared. Just the simple act of walking together was enough.

Noticing that Mark was still staring at him, Jackson started to panic. “What?” he asked. “Do I have something on my face?” His hands shot up to his face as he felt around for any sign of lingering crumbs or stains.

“No, no, no,” Mark laughed. “I was just…” His voice trailed off. Talking about his feelings had never been one of his strong suits. Sharing anything so personal never seemed like a good idea. But part of him desperately wanted to tell Jackson how cute he looked when he worried. The big, curious eyes staring back didn’t help curb his desire, either.

“I just think it’s really great that you care about her so much,” he muttered. Even though it wasn’t exactly what he’d been thinking, a wave of embarrassment still crashed over him. But before he could even think of turning away, Mark felt Jackson’s hand slip into his.

“Thank you,” Jackson said. A genuine, warm smile spread across his face as Mark looked back up at him, cheeks flushed. “She really enjoyed meeting you, you know,” he added. “She’s never shown that much interest in anyone I’ve brought around before.”

“I doubt that,” Mark giggled. Even though he didn’t believe it, the statement still made the tingling in Mark’s gut spark back to life.

“Are you calling me a liar, Mark?” Jackson asked, acting offended.

Mark shrugged, soaking in the feeling of the other’s hand in his. If there was any proof that soulmates were actually made for each other, the way their hands fit perfectly together was it. “You’ll just have to prove me wrong.”

“Well how about I start now, then?” Jackson smirked. “I promised you a picture, right?”

Before Mark could even think of saying anything, Jackson pulled his phone from his pocket. In one smooth motion, he dropped Mark’s hand, slipping it around Mark’s waist instead. Shocked speechless, Mark just watched as the other messed with his phone. The heat of Jackson’s side against his made Mark blush even more. Turning his head just enough for his lips to hover next to the other’s ear, Jackson muttered, “Ready?”.

The celebrity experience really showed as Jackson held the phone up and out, angling it just enough to make them look up ever so slightly. An ideal angle to make them look the best possible. Noticing his blank expression on the screen, Mark focused on how close they were, making a smile spread across his face again.

Without warning, Jackson snapped a picture. “Wha-” Mark muttered, a half protest slipping from his lips.

“You look great,” Jackson replied. “Don’t worry. But, if you don’t mind, I’d like to take another one. One just for us.”

Mark’s heart jumped into his throat. How could something as simple as a picture sound so extremely intimate? Mark suddenly became more aware of Jackson’s arm around his waist. Without thinking about it, he leaned in closer, body craving more of Jackson’s warmth. That was enough confirmation for Jackson, who lifted the phone up again and squeezed Mark’s waist a bit tighter.

“I’ll count down this time,” Jackson whispered. A tiny sigh escaped Mark’s lips. If this picture was going to be for just the two of them, he desperately wanted it to be as close to perfect as possible. For all they knew, this could be the only picture they’d get together. Ever.

“One...” Jackson’s voice snapped him back to reality.

“Two…” Mark slid his arm up around Jackson’s shoulders, letting him slide even closer to the other. He saw Jackson’s smile grow, which only made his own heart beat even faster.

“Three.” As Jackson’s finger pressed the button, he turned his head and looked at Mark. Too late, Mark glanced over at him.

“What are you doing?” he asked, eyes wide. It didn’t even register to him that they were just a breath apart now. One small move from either of them and their lips would touch. It wasn’t even until Mark saw the look on Jackson’s face, his eyes staring hungrily at Mark’s lips, that he noticed the closeness. “Uhhh,” he breathed, suddenly unable to look away.

The two stood in silence for a moment, staring at each other in the dark in the middle of the sidewalk. Jackson was the first to break away, arm dropping from Mark’s waist as he looked down at his phone. “It’s late,” he said. “We should probably get you back to your hotel.”

The sudden shift left Mark confused and anxious. His mind replayed every moment leading up to the switch a hundred times as they made their way back to the car. No matter how hard he looked, he couldn’t find anything that might’ve led to Jackson’s suddenly cold attitude. After telling the driver which hotel he was staying at, Mark glanced at Jackson a few times, opening and closing his mouth in several failed attempts to say something.

When the memory of his mother gushing over the phone about how her son had finally found love popped into his mind, he wondered if maybe he’d read everything wrong. There had been cases of people finding their soulmates, but not having the match reciprocated. The stories were always sad, usually ending in someone killing themselves or condemning themselves to lives of reckless abandon until they got killed some other way. It had never made sense to Mark how anyone could just throw their life away over a stranger. After meeting Jackson, though, he started to understand. He’d never fall that low himself, but he could already feel the pain start to develop just from thinking about the possibility.

“Jackson,” Mark said quietly. “Can you see any colors?”

“Of course I can,” Jackson answered, dumbfounded. “Why wouldn’t I be able to?”

“I don’t know. I just thought that because you walked away earlier that maybe I’d read things the wrong way or something.”

Jackson shifted so that he could grab Mark’s hand. “My manager told me that the first color I ever saw was green. It was the color of the beanie you were wearing at the airport.” He squeezed Mark’s hand gently and smiled.

“I’m as interested as I possibly can be,” he continued. “I’ve never been more drawn to someone in my entire life. Standing there just now, being so close to you, well, I wanted to do more than just stand there. But I’ve already dragged you into the spotlight more than you deserve. I can’t make you go through more just because I’m being selfish.”

It took Mark a minute to process, but as he did, he felt his entire body start to tingle. He’d never felt this way so many times in the course of a day before. Every reaction his body had to Jackson was unlike anything he’d ever experienced. Everything was new and unknown. But he loved every second of it.

Looking up into Jackson’s eyes, Mark squeezed his hand back and smiled.

“I’m starting to think that the insanity might be worth it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! For some reason, this chapter was really rough for me to write. I never really liked what I wrote, so I ended up rewriting lot of things that probably were fine to start with. Between that and the craziness of the boy's promotions (Yay 5 wins and an all-kill week! I'm so proud of them!), I didn't write as often as I usually do either.
> 
> I really liked writing the end bit of this chapter, though. It's an important step for them, though maybe one that'll make things a little difficult in upcoming chapters. ;)
> 
> As always, leave some comments below. I love seeing what you guys have to say about each chapter. Also, if you want to stay current on how the next chapter's coming (as well as get bombarded by Markson feels on a daily basis), feel free to follow me on Twitter @infectiouskpop.


	6. A Gift and A Hope

Jackson desperately wanted to get out of the van. He wanted to walk Mark all the way to his hotel door to make sure no one disturbed him. But he knew better. Him stepping out of the van would only create more attention. It would only draw Mark even more into the spotlight than he already was.

“What time do you leave?” he asked, flipping up the armrest so he could turn his whole body toward Mark. A part of him desperately hoped that somehow, some way he’d be able to at least have the chance to take Mark to the airport. It’d be one last time together before they both jumped into the deep pool of the unknown.

Phone already in hand, Mark pulled up the confirmation email with just a few taps. “Uhm, looks like my plane leaves at 10:25,” he said. A weight pressed against Jackson chest, pushing a defeated sigh out of him. With his filming schedule, all chances of seeing Mark before he left evaporated as quickly as he’d thought of them. “Are you sure there’s no way you can come back to visit or something? You said you weren’t going to be in Taiwan that long, right?” In any other instance, Jackson would’ve scolded himself for sounding so desperate. But with just moments left until they’d go their separate ways, he didn’t have time to worry about how he sounded.

The slightest shake of Mark’s head made a strand fall in front of his eyes. He didn’t even flinch, like he hadn’t noticed the sudden appearance of light strands in his vision. Strands that, Jackson noticed, were looking more and more different as the night went on. He wondered what color he’d started seeing now.

It was the same color that appeared on Mark’s lips, which were a much darker, more noticeable shade. All night, Jackson had been doing his best not to stare. As far as he knew, Mark hadn’t noticed his occasional, super quick glances. But whenever he caught the other biting his lower lip, he couldn’t help but stare. It made Jackson’s blood pump so fast he could feel it rushing through his body.

Jackson glanced down at his hands, the sadness of their impending goodbye starting to set in, and noticed the glint a light shine from one of his bracelets. Mind springing back into action, he slipped the bangle off his wrist and held it out. “I don’t know if you even wear stuff like this,” he started, turning the bracelet over in his hands, “but I want you to have it. Even if you don’t wear it, just knowing you’ve got it will make me happy.” 

Mark stared at the small, perfectly shaped piece of jewelry. “Oh, I couldn’t,” he muttered, but his eyes didn’t leave the bracelet. He’d never seen real gold before, especially not that much. Before he could protest any further, Jackson caught Mark’s wrist and gently placed the bracelet in his hand. “Don’t worry,” he said, his voice almost a whisper. “You can give it back when we see each other again.”

There was no guarantee the two would ever see each other again. They both knew that. But the foolish hope that maybe there was a chance was enough to raise their spirits for a moment. Besides, the idea made a huge grin spread across Mark’s face. Jackson’s heart lept into his throat. He would say anything just to see the other smile like that.

But as the smile melted away, he noticed Mark rubbing the thin, smooth band between his fingers. It made him look so small and vulnerable. Like a child clutching to a blanket when they were scared. But before Jackson could even think to comfort him, Mark looked back up, their eyes meeting.

“I should, uhm,” he muttered. “I should get going. I don’t want to hold you up. I’m sure you’ve got a busy day tomorrow.”

“Oh, right,” Jackson said, cursing his early filming schedule once again. “I’ve still got a little time left. We can hang out here for a little bit, if you want.”

“In the van?” Mark asked, glancing around. They were essentially stopped in front of the main entry, not exactly hiding from curious eyes, but the windows were so tinted that no one would be able to see them from the outside.

“Well, going anywhere with people would just make things worse for you,” Jackson explained. “I mean, there’s at least some mystery about what exactly we are if it was just the airport incident they have to go off of. But if they saw us together again, especially on the same day, the rumors would really start. You’d get bombarded.”

“What exactly we are?” One of Mark’s eyebrows quirked up, clearly trying to tease Jackson. But the blush that dusted his cheeks gave him away.

“Well, you know,” Jackson huffed. “Soulmates.” He paused, watching Mark cautiously in an attempt to gauge his reaction. The other’s ears started turning pink, the blush intensifying across his entire face. “I mean, I don’t know what exactly that means, the whole soulmates thing. But I can see things I didn’t before and that’s all because you bumped into me. So it’s gotta be something right?”

Jackson’s rambled when he got nervous. Talking his way out of awkward situations had always managed to be his saving grace in social interactions. Now, though, he just felt his nervousness grow. What if Mark didn’t like rambling? What if he found it obnoxious and ridiculous instead of adorable and innocent like everyone else seemed to think?

A hand moved on top of his, immediately silencing Jackson’s rambling. The smooth, slender hand was dotted with lightly-formed calluses. A sign of regular wear, but nothing excessive. “We’ll figure it out,” Mark said. Simple words, but they calmed Jackson immediately. “I would really love to hang out more, but I really should go get some sleep.”

Despite feeling more confused than ever, Jackson smoothed on a small smile, nodding as soon as Mark finished. “Of course. I can’t make you miss your flight by keeping you out all night,” he replied, trying to keep the disappointment from oozing out.

The two just stared at each other for a moment, not sure what to do next. Gods, did Jackson want to kiss him. Wanting to kiss someone he’d just met wasn’t exactly normal. But then again, you didn’t just bump into your soulmate every day either. Most people didn’t meet theirs only to find out that they might never see each other again, either.

“Thanks again for dinner,” Mark said, smiling, “and for everything else. I had a great time.”

Jackson nodded. “Any time,” he said. “Next time you can pick the place.” Mark smiled one of his brilliant, full-face smiles again, a small giggle escaping his lips at the same time. Heart flipping in his chest, Jackson did his best to hold back a gasp. This boy would kill him with how undeniably adorable he was, no doubt.

Without another word, Mark turned to the door and let himself out. Neither of them wanted to say goodbye. That felt to permanent. Even something as simple as “I’ll message you later,” felt awkward to Jackson. It felt fake. The best thing either of them could say was nothing at all.

Once the door had closed, he slumped back in his seat, body exhausted from the rollercoaster of emotions it had gone through in the past few hours. His eyes closed as he relaxed for a moment, he didn’t even notice Mark come up to the door next to him until it started sliding open.

“Jackson?” he whispered. It was cute how he said it carefully, like anyone outside might be able to hear them.

His eyes flew open, glancing at Mark’s head that was popping in through the crack between the door and the car. Without saying anything, Mark motioned for Jackson to come closer. It reminded Jackson of when him and his friends would share secrets when they were young, whispering in each other’s ears to make sure no one else heard. Jackson leaned in close, ear angled toward Mark’s lips in anticipation of what he had to say.

Just inches apart, Mark whispered, “I’m gonna miss you,” followed by a super-quick peck on the cheek. Jackson froze, stunned by what had just happened. The heat of Mark’s lips on his cheeks lingered even after such a quick touch, searing the memory into his mind.

Mark just kissed him.

It wasn’t on the mouth or anything, but that wasn’t important. The only thing that mattered was that Mark had come back and kissed him.

By the time Jackson even thought about moving, Mark had already shut the van door and made his way back into the hotel. Jackson hadn’t see how insanely red Mark’s face got after he pulled away. He hadn’t seen how quickly Mark shut the door and ran inside giggling to himself. But it didn’t matter.

Because Mark just kissed him and Jackson would never forget it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter! But I wanted to get something out soon and this was a good stopping point. I actually changed up the direction of this chapter last-minute because I decided I wanted them to part still kind of awkward and unsure of themselves this time. Still working out a few details on what's coming next, but I can tell you that our good ol' friends Jinyoung, Jaebum and Youngjae will be making appearances it the next chapter! So stay tuned.
> 
> As always, let me know what you think in the comments below! Bonus points if you can tell me what real-life Markson thing I mentioned in this chapter. ;)


	7. Thousands of Miles

The first thing Mark heard as he walked past security was Youngjae screaming his name.

The first thing he saw was Jinyoung’s all-knowing grin.

And the first thing he felt was Jaebum’s hand smacking him square on the back. “It’s about time you got here,” he said, a hint of amusement laced in his voice. “Jinyoung’s been dying to hear all about your new boyfriend.”

Jinyoung punched Jaebum’s shoulder, but not before Mark’s eyes dropped to his shoes, trying desperately to hide the blush that creeped onto his cheeks. Though they’d been messaging each other constantly ever since Mark walked away from the van that night, what exactly the two of them were still remained unknown. Neither had really bothered defining it. Not yet. But hearing Jaebum refer to Jackson as his boyfriend made Mark’s heart skip a beat.

“Okay, sorry,” Jaebum corrected. “He wants to know what  _ you _ have to say about him. He already knows pretty much everything that’s on the internet about the guy.”

“What?” Mark asked, looking up at Jinyoung. “You researched him?” It didn’t surprise Mark that his closest friend was at least a little interested, but Jinyoung had never been someone who went out and Googled Mark’s crushes, either.

Youngjae, who’d been surprisingly silent for someone whose quiet voice was yelling to begin with, started laughing. A few of the people standing near him even jumped, surprised at the sudden burst of noise. “Hyung researching something,” he laughed. “You’re funny.”

“Hey! I’m in school aren’t I?” Jinyoung looked almost hurt by the accusation. “I study.”

“Yeah, for a test or something. But never just for fun.” Youngjae laughed again.

Mark glanced at Jaebum, whose gaze was fixed on Jinyoung. “Jinyoungie heard all about your boyfriend from Anna,” he explained. “I guess she’s a big fan of the group he’s in or something. She saw your picture and came straight over to our place. Right in the middle of dinner.”

Leave it to Jaebum to make their friend and next door neighbor coming over with important news sound like the world’s biggest inconvenience. Needless to say, when it came to food, the guy didn’t like to be disturbed.

“Whatever,” Jinyoung muttered under his breath. “Are we gonna stand around here all day or are we gonna go home?” Jaebum wrapped his arm around Jinyoung’s shoulders, leaning into him just enough to let his forehead rest on the top of the other’s head for a moment. Mark looked away as his best friend’s lips curled into a cool, relaxed smile.

Jinyoung and Jaebum’s subdued public affection had never bothered him before. No one’s had, really. Couples were going to be couples. He knew that. But now, what with finding his soulmate and then being separated almost immediately and all, Mark was a little more sensitive to everything. Even the smallest thing could remind him of Jackson. And when he thought of Jackson, Mark’s heart ached a little.

It was stupid, really. He barely even knew Jackson. They’d spent less than 5 hours together and already he was all Mark could think about. He blamed the greens and now reds that started littering his vision. An always-present reminder of what could have been, if it weren’t for the distance.

“Don’t look now,” Youngjae whispered as he casually slid into step next to Mark, “but I think there’s someone following you. It looks like she’s recording.”

Mark sighed. He’d be surprised if it weren’t for the fact that some of Jackson’s more intense fans had already decided to follow him around Taiwan the whole week he was there. Still, someone recognizing him in the States was a little unexpected. Who knew the impact of getting pushed in the airport could be so life-changing.

“It feels weird not saying anything,” Youngjae added. “Should I say something to her?” Mark just shook his head, keeping his eyes locked on the floor in front of him to avoid making eye contact with anyone else. Having one person following them wasn’t bad, but Mark didn’t want anyone else recognizing him. Not with his friends around. They didn’t deserve the chaos.

This must have been how Jackson felt, Mark thought, trying to protect him from the spotlight. A smirk slipped onto Mark’s face as he thought about how sweet yet utterly hopeless Jackson’s attempts to protect him were. As long as they were connected, Mark would be in the spotlight. He knew that now. It was something he was still coming to terms with.

His friends, on the other hand, didn’t have to be. They could stay out of it. “Hey, tell Jinyoung and Jaebum that you guys should go to the car. Just drive it up to the door. I’ll grab my bag and meet you guys outside.” Youngjae shot him a confused look. It was a pretty strange sounding request, especially from someone who hadn’t seen his friends in over a week. “I’ll explain in the car,” Mark added.

It felt weird, asking his friends to pick him up when they were already parked and inside. But when he turned the corner into the baggage claim area, Mark was relieved he’d sent them away. A small group of girls who clearly weren’t waiting for luggage milled around, smartphones ready in hand.

By the time he crawled into the backseat of Jaebum’s firetruck red Jeep ten minutes later, the sound of screaming and giggling was ringing in Mark’s ears.

“What was all that?” Jaebum asked as they drove away from the still-screaming mob of girls, glancing back at Mark through the rearview mirror.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I guess they just found out I was flying in today. I didn’t really expect them to be here, or else I would’ve told you guys to stay home.”

“Why?” Jinyoung asked.

“I don’t want to put you guys through all that,” Mark said. “It gets super tiring and you have nothing to do with Jackson, so how is putting you through that fair?”

“I don’t mind a bunch of girls hanging around, taking my picture,” Jaebum said, which earned him another swift punch in the arm from Jinyoung. He just snickered in response, his plan to get a rise out of his boyfriend clearly working.

“Don’t worry about us, Mark,” Jinyoung continued. “We’re big kids. We can handle ourselves.”

When they got back to their apartment, the three spent the rest of the day bothering Mark for more details, asking him question after question about what happened at the airport and how he felt and what it was like saying goodbye to a celebrity. They soaked in every last detail they possibly could, hearing everything there was to tell. Well, everything except the seeing-color-soulmates bit. That was something just for Jinyoung’s ears. As much as Mark trusted Jaebum and Youngjae, it wasn’t something he wanted to tell everyone just yet. But he still needed to talk through everything, so, naturally, Jinyoung was who he went to.

But even after Mark had herded him into his bedroom and spilled, Jinyoung didn’t seem surprised. “Your mom told me,” he said.

Of course she did. If there was one thing Mark absolutely couldn’t understand, it was why she told Jinyoung anything and everything about Mark. He had a sneaking suspicion that, despite Jinyoung and Jaebum already being set-in-stone, perfectly-made-for-each-other, seeing-the-whole-rainbow soulmates for three years now, his mom wanted Jinyoung as her son-in-law.

“She was just worried about you,” he added, noticing the slight grimace that spread across Mark’s face. “She wants to make sure that you don’t get hurt by some celebrity just because the system says you’re meant to be together.”

Sweet, yet infuriating. “I know she doesn’t exactly trust my judgement in guys, Jinyoung,” Mark sighed. “It’s pretty clear. And I’ll admit, I haven’t exactly had the greatest track record. Besides, we both know she’s never going to think anyone’s good enough unless it’s you.”

“Never gonna happen,” Jinyoung laughed.

“Hey, you’re not exactly some hot catch either.”

“I’m sure Jaebum would disagree with that,” Jinyoung teased, wiggling his eyebrows at Mark. Before either of them could get another word in, Mark’s text tone sounded from the other room. He hadn’t even realized he’d left his phone there. Without even thinking, Mark jumped to his feet, pushing Jinyoung over in the process, and shuffled to his phone.

_ 852Puppy: I see you arrived safe and sound. ;) _

Attached to the message was a picture of Mark from the airport earlier, standing by the baggage claim carousel and looking way more exhausted than he’d actually felt.

_ SilenT93: Yup. Got in a couple hours ago. _

_ SilenT93: And wow. Way to pick a bad pic. :P _

_ SilenT93: Where did you even find that? _

He sort of regretted sending that last message. Not knowing where these pictures ended up was probably the smarter choice. But it was too late now. Mark walked back into his room, not bothering to close the door behind him, and collapsed onto the bed.

“Isn’t it like five in the morning over there?” Jinyoung asked. He was still sitting on the floor, but he’d leaned back on his hands, stretching his legs out in front of him. “Why is Jackson awake?”

“Who says it’s Jackson?” Mark asked.

“Oh please. As if you’d hold on to your phone like that for anyone else.” Mark hadn’t even noticed he was still clutching his phone. He loosened his grip a bit, letting the phone slide down just enough to rest on the bed but still sit easily within his reach. Just in case.

When Mark didn’t answer him, Jinyoung just sighed. They both sat there for a few moments, staring at the ceiling in complete silence, before Mark’s text tone went off again. That was enough for Jinyoung to get up and head toward the door. “We’ll talk more later,” he said, giving Mark a cautious once-over that the other didn’t even see before walking out of the room.

_ 852Puppy: I got tagged in it. My fans are everywhere, you know. ;) _

_ 852Puppy: I’m a little hurt you didn’t text me when you landed. _

Shit. Mark knew he’d forgotten something. Seeing his friends waiting for him had caught him off guard, then their teasing and the people taking pictures of him had been overwhelming.

_ SilenT93: I meant to. I just got surprised by everything. _

_ 852Puppy: Hehe I was just kidding around. You’re okay. That’s all that matters. _

_ 852Puppy: So what have you been up to? _

_ 852Puppy: Besides missing me. _

Mark felt heat take over his face. They didn’t need to say that they missed each other. Both of them already knew. But he still got embarrassed when Jackson brought it up, which he did. A lot.

_ SilenT93: Just hanging out with my roommates. Answering tons of questions. _

_ 852Puppy: Ohhhhh about me? _

_ SilenT93: Yeah, mostly. _

_ SilenT93: What are you doing up so early, btw? _

_ 852Puppy: We’ve got a music show today, so early start. _

_ 852Puppy: But I got up extra early to check in with you. ;) _

All it took was a cheesy little message to get his heart racing. Mark’s past crushes had never been able to get a reaction out of him this easily. How did suddenly seeing the world in limited color change how he reacted to innocent flirting in such an extreme way?

Maybe it was because seeing the whole world in a different way made him a different person. Maybe he’d changed.

_ 852Puppy: I thought you looked great in those pictures, by the way. _

_ 852Puppy: I may or may not have saved a few... _

Or maybe Jackson was just different from anyone else that Mark had ever met before. Different in the most breathtaking way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo! This one was a fairly quick write for me once I got the time to sit down and just jam away. And we got the first taste of Jaebum, Jinyoung and Youngjae! That's pretty exciting. They got a little bit of screen time in this chapter, but I'll definitely be looking to make them slightly more prominent in the next few Mark POV chapters.
> 
> Let me know what you thought of them in the comments. Next chapter we'll see BamBam and Yugyeom, so anticipate that! I'll give you a little sneak peek: There's gonna be some ultra-charismatic BamBam, so look forward to that.
> 
> Also, quick shout out to seitsemannen for letting me know that I'm not the only one who's certifiably obsessed with the boys' "This Love" cover. We most definitely have a problem. XD If you haven't watched it yet, oh man, you definitely need to. Go do it now. Do it.


	8. Old Friends and New Feelings

Someday, BamBam wouldn’t choose the greasiest accessories he could find to wear during national broadcasts. But for now, Jackson would have to deal with the sight of his friend in a dog collar decorated in spikes and chains. “Did you really have to pick something so sex slave-ish, Bam?” he asked as they walked off the stage, pointing at the other’s throat.

Jackson, BamBam and Yugyeom, jointly known as TITAN, had always been known for their looks. Even as an awkward debut group, they’d gotten recognized for their visual prowess. Not that their music wasn’t good. Each comeback, their concepts got a little more intense. This time around, it was an almost risque type sexy, one that allowed Bam to push the limits a little.

“No one was even looking at me,” Yugyeom whined, patting a towel on his sweat-soaked face. “They were all too busy staring at your neck.”

None of the complaints bothered the Thai idol, who just smirked and shrugged as he handed his microphone to the stage assistant and made his way toward their dressing room. Yugyeom, being the gigantic baby he was, continued pestering BamBam, poking and nudging him as he followed along. The two were practically inseparable, no matter what was going on.

Jackson was about to follow them when he noticed a familiar figure standing on the opposite side of the stage. The height gave away who it was almost immediately. Youjin. Next to him were four other tall, handsome guy, all focused on checking their microphones and outfits before the moved on stage. TITAN was popular, but Youjin’s group, Sector Five, were legends.

Despite all that, though, Jackson and Youjin were close. When Jackson had first moved to Korea from Hong Kong, Youjin had taken him under his wing. He’d helped the younger with his monthly exam routines or took him out just so Jackson could practice his Korean. They’d been like brothers.

Jackson missed those days. Though Youjin was only a year older than Jackson, he debuted two years before. Once he’d debuted, time to hang out and help Jackson prepare suddenly became scarce. They still talked and texted when they could, but they weren’t nearly as close now.

As they moved onto the stage, the other members of Sector Five just nodded politely when they saw Jackson. But when Youjin, who was always the last to notice anything, finally saw him, he smiled and waved quickly. Their performance was impressive, even from the awkward side view where Jackson was standing. Yugyeom had replayed a recording of their stage from one of the previous week’s music shows non-stop ever since it aired, but it somehow never got old. They pulled off the charismatic, powerful concept perfectly.

They only needed to record it once before the crew dismissed them. Youjin flashed a smile at Jackson as they walked off. “I was hoping I’d see you today,” he said. They pulled each other into a quick, brotherly embrace, patting each other on the back a few times before making their way back toward the dressing rooms. Jackson didn’t even bother mentioning that they would’ve seen each other at the end of the show anyway, since they were competing against each other for first place.

They silently decided to head to Jackson’s dressing room, knowing it would be at least a little less chaotic since he only had to share with two others rather than four. As soon as they walked in, the Yugyeom and BamBam decided they wanted snacks and left for the convenience store down the block. Jackson knew they had other motives beside food, but as long as they didn’t get kidnapped or killed while they were gone, he didn’t really care what they were plotting right now.

Catching up with friends calmed Jackson. Listening to other people talk about their lives helped him escape from his own for a little while. It made him feel a little more like a regular human and less like an animal in the zoo. Not that he didn’t love his life. It was just that sometimes, he just didn’t want to think.

“Jiyeon wants to tell everyone,” Youjin sighed. The lack of enthusiasm in his voice made Jackson glance up. Shouldn’t he be excited talking about his soulmate? The two had been together for over a year now, an impressive stretch to keep a relationship secret. But he sounded tired talking about her now.

Youjin was slumped in one of the makeup stools, arms dangling down to the side. If a human could deflate, that would be what they looked like. “I’d love to tell everyone. Trust me, I would. I just… I don’t think it’s time yet, that’s all. I don’t want the guys to suffer because of me.”

Jackson understood. It’s why he hadn’t screamed from every rooftop imaginable that he’d found his soulmate. When it came to their favorite stars, fans could get hypocritical. They wished for their happiness, but a lot also secretly hoped that they would be their bias’ soulmate. The very, very rare instances of idol/fan pairings kept just enough hope alive to be detrimental. As soon a celebrity announced that they started seeing color, the fans would abandon them. If too many fans left, and an entire group could suffer.

That meant most celebrities tried their best to hide their relationships. Keyword being  _ tried _ . A lot failed. Some slipped up in public. Some got caught by the gossip-driven news outlets that stalked idols, desperate for juicy news to sell. Most just crumbled under the pressure of keeping things hidden.

The only good thing about Mark living on the other end of the world, Jackson knew, was that it made their relationship easier to hide. Whatever their relationship was.

“Sorry,” Youjin muttered. “I really didn’t mean to unload that all on you. It’s just been in my head a lot recently and I think I just needed to say it all out loud.” Jackson just shrugged, taking a swig from one of the water bottles sitting on the counter. “Besides, I think you’re more familiar than anyone with hiding your soulmate.

Coughing up water, Jackson stared wide-eyed at Youjin. “What?” he asked, his voice squeaking a little.

Youjin just rolled his eyes. “Come on, Jackson. You don’t have to hide it from me. I know you. Sure, you’re nice, but giving your number to a stranger is extreme, even for you.”

Shit. He’d slipped up enough to get caught. Suddenly his mind began running a million miles an hour. Youjin was one of his closest friends, but what if someone else had caught on? What if someone else saw through it all? What if Mark had told someone already? He needed to find his phone.

“Jackson,” Youjin said. His voice was sharp enough to pull Jackson from his momentary panic-induced attention lapse. He reached out, placing a hand on top of Jackson’s. “Calm down. If anyone else suspected, they would have said something by now. I mean, it’s been like a week, right?”

Jackson nodded, but still glanced around for his phone. A message just in case wouldn’t hurt anything. “It was really that obvious?” Jackson asked.

“Well, it’s a little easier as someone who’s known you for almost five years now. I can see when something’s different. You looked at that guy like he was the only person around.” Jackson always knew that Youjin had a knack for reading people, but being able to see all that just through a cell phone video bordered on super power levels.

“That’s how it felt,” Jackson admitted. “I didn’t even remember that all the other people were around. As soon as I saw him, I just…”

“You just knew.” Youjin finished the sentence for him. There was no way to explain the feeling through words. It was just something that people understood once they’d experienced it. “So what happened? Where is he now?”

Jackson’s breath hitched. “He’s uhm,” he muttered, feeling his chest tighten up a little. He hated saying it out loud. It made everything feel more real. When he’d told his mother, he’d almost broke down in the middle of the studio. “He’s in America.” Youjin’s eyes dropped for a second, his expression shifting from shock to understanding to sadness.

They didn’t say much more after that, instead sitting in sad, thoughtful silence until Yugyeom and BamBam burst through the door. Bags of snacks hung from their arms. “Oh! Youjin-ssi!” BamBam squeaked as he noticed the two of them. “We didn’t know you were still here. We’ll go find someplace else to-”

“I was just leaving,” Youjin interrupted, moving from his seat. “It looks like you guys have lots of food to eat before the show starts. I should really get back to the others anyway.” He turned back to Jackson for a second, clapping the younger on the shoulder. “Let me know if you need anything. But you’ll get through it.” He said it just soft enough for the others not to hear. Then, after giving his shoulder a quick squeeze, Youjin left.

As the run through of that day’s show played on the TV in their dressing room, Yugyeom and BamBam danced along with as many acts as they could. Sure, eating and jumping around at the same time probably wasn’t the best idea. But the two were teenagers, so they didn’t care.

Usually, Jackson would laugh along, sometimes pointing out their mistakes or joining in. But with Mark on his mind, he couldn’t bring himself to do anything but nibble on a chocolate bar and stare at his phone. Every now and then, he’d type out a message to Mark then delete it. The message always sounded wrong.

“Hyung, are you alright?” Jackson didn’t notice BamBam had moved next to him until he spoke, making Jackson almost jump out of his seat. “You’ve been awfully quiet.”

“Oh, I’m fine,” Jackson muttered. “Just thinking.”

“About your boyfriend?” Yugyeom called from the other end of the room. No conversation was ever private when it came to the three of them. While that was probably for the best most of the time, Jackson still couldn’t help but get annoyed every now and then.

He looked away, turning back to his phone. He just stared at the black screen, frozen at the thought of how to put his concerns in a text without sounding like a complete asshole. He’d call, but international charges were a bitch that even he couldn’t justify unless they were completely necessary.

“You can always tell us about it, you know,” BamBam suggested.

“Hey! We’re up!” Yugyeom interrupted, waving them over to the couches near the TV. Bam rushed over immediately, plopping down next to Yugyeom. Jackson followed slowly, deciding just to stand behind a chair instead.

Whoever edited their performance together really loved BamBam. Though the parts were pretty evenly distributed among the three of them, over half of the screen time went to the skinniest of them all. Not like Jackson could blame them, really. The dog collar wrapped around the younger’s neck made him stand out. That and his icy, ultra-charismatic stares that he gave the camera. Girls would be squealing over him near and far, for sure.

“Man, I’m gonna get laid tonight,” Bam muttered, smirking to himself as the video jumped to the next performer. That brought on a series of Yugyeom’s screaming complaints, giving Jackson all the more reason to go sit back down at the makeup counter.

_ Hey, did you tell anyone about us? _

That sounded casual enough, right? Not implying anything extreme or worrisome? Jackson read over the message a hundred times, using a different mental voice each time to make sure that there was no possible way Mark could freak out over it.

Once he hit the send button, he shoved his phone back in his bag, too terrified to look. He almost deleted the message right after he sent it, but he knew that Mark would still see the notification. He’d still see the message. There was no going back now.

Jackson didn’t check his phone again until after the show ended a couple hours later. When the MCs announced TITAN as this week’s winner, the first thing he thought of was how much he wanted to call Mark. To share the good news with his connected stranger. His something. God, was he in deep. When he looked at his phone, though, expecting to see his message still waiting, unread, he noticed the little 1 missing next to the text bubble.

Mark had seen his message, but there was no response. Jackson waited a few minutes, telling himself that Mark must’ve only just seen the message and was typing at that very moment. But as time inched by, that hope crumbled to dust. He’d seen the message and hadn’t bothered to reply. That could mean only one of two things.

Either Mark had fallen back asleep before responding, or he was upset.

Jackson hoped and prayed that it wasn’t the latter.

 

 

Waking up to a text from the guy you couldn’t stop thinking about asking if he’d told anyone about “us” wasn’t what Mark considered a good start to the day. It really put a damper on everything. One that, no matter how bright the sun was shining outside, couldn’t be lifted.

The morning only got worse when, just as he shoved the first spoonful of cereal into his mouth, he heard a knock at the door. He finished chewing, waiting to see if any of his roommates came running to the door to answer it. No one. Mark sighed, carefully putting his bowl on the side table and moving to the door.

“OhmygodMark,” the girl on the other side blurted before he’d even opened the door all the way. “I was hoping you were here. Except maybe it’d be better if you weren’t. I don’t really know. Is Jinyoung here?”

“What’s going on, Anna?” he asked. Even though she was their friend and neighbor, she hardly ever came over without letting them know first. She certainly never came over all frantic like this. “Why do you need Jinyoung?”

She stepped past Mark into the living room, not bothering to wait to be invited in, and sunk into the couch. “I, uhm… Just… Is Jinyoung here? It’d really be better if he was here.”

Mark glanced at the digital clock and shook his head. “He works mornings on Saturday. You know that.” It freaked him out a little that she was this scattered. She was usually so calm and composed. Nerdy and social, sure. But never anything like this. “Just tell me what’s going on.”

Her mouth fell open like she was going to just ask for Jinyoung again, but she closed it again almost immediately and sighed. “Okay. You’ll wanna come sit down.”

As he sat down next to her, she held out her phone just enough to grab Mark’s attention. On the screen was a picture of Jackson and another guy, taller and more toned than Mark, embracing. It wasn’t anything intimate, exactly, but it still made Mark’s stomach drop.

“They’ve been friends since before Jackson debuted,” Anna said, quickly shutting off her phone so he couldn’t see the picture anymore. Not like it would be hard to find later. “Besides, they’re way more touchy feely over there. I’m sure they were just saying hi. I just thought it’d be better for you to see it now than pop up later. I know you’re not exactly into all this stuff.”

This stuff. Jackson’s life. His friends. His career. Mark knew nothing about them, aside from the things he’d managed to read on the internet. Who knew how much of that was true. No, Mark knew close to nothing about Jackson. Yet here he was, trying to make sure his breath stayed steady so his throat wouldn’t tighten up from the jealousy and hurt surging through his body.

All he could do was nod at Anna once she’d finished, letting her know he heard and understood everything she said. Once she realized that he wasn’t going to say anything, she walked away. Pausing with one hand on the front door, she looked back. “You should talk to him,” she said. “If I know anything as his fan, it’s that he’s a good guy.” And, without another word, she let herself out.

The wave of feelings that crushed him as soon as the door closed paralyzed Mark. It was all a web that he couldn’t get out of. Instead, he just tangled himself in it further the more he struggled to understand it all.

Then he remembered Jackson’s message.

He was such an idiot. Anger swept over Mark. His fist clutched the couch cushion, grip tightening until his knuckles faded to white. How had he been so stupid to think that this thing he had with Jackson, whatever it was, would just work out without a hitch? How had he even thought he could compete with other celebrities? With people who were right there, able to be with him every day.

The anger faded quickly, giving way to inexplicable sadness. These type of possessive thoughts weren’t supposed to come around for someone he’d only spent an evening with. He wasn’t supposed to get this effected by a picture. But it was the picture and the message together that hurt Mark the most. It couldn’t be a coincidence that the two both happened around the same time.

Grabbing his bowl of cereal, Mark shuffled back into his room and curled up in bed. The mixture of wanting to punch a hole in his wall and hoping he could shrink into nothingness made him mentally exhausted. One empty cereal bowl later, his eyes fluttered shut and he fell back asleep.

“Mark?” Jinyoung’s voice woke him up. He felt a hand clutched around his arm, shaking his body a little. “Wake up. You’ve gotta get ready for work.” Mark’s eyebrows furrowed, eyes still closed.

“Jinyoung-ie, I don’t work until nine tonight,” he whined, turning over to lay on his other side. 

“It’s almost 7, Mark,” Jinyoung replied.

That was enough to make Mark get up. He stared at his friend, eyes wide. He hadn’t woken up that late this morning. It had definitely been before noon. How had he managed to sleep so long?

“You left your phone in the living room, by the way,” Jinyoung added, tossing the smartphone on the bed. “Jaebum was supposed to make sure you were awake, but I guess he couldn’t bother to do more than text. There’s like 20 missed calls on there, though.” Mark tapped the screen, making it come to life, and inhaled softly.

__ GaGa (13 Missed Calls)  
__ Voicemail (3)  
_ Light of Jinyoung’s Life (2 Messages)  
_ __ 852Puppy (4)

Mark just closed his eyes and tipped back over in bed. He couldn’t handle anything to do with Jackson right now. He had work in two hours and he couldn’t go back into an emotionally-overloaded stupor.

“Is everything okay?” Jinyoung asked from the doorway. Mark shook his head, still buried in the covers. He knew his friend probably had some confused look on his face and sighed. “I’ll explain later. I really need food.”

Peanut butter and jelly was about the extent of Mark’s culinary abilities, so that’s what he settled for when it came to dinner. Well, about eight, to be exact. As he scarfed them down, his mind ran through his wardrobe, trying to decide what he should wear to work. The club wasn’t exactly the most well-lit place, so most of the time he got away with looking pretty casual without anyone noticing or caring.

Today was different, though. Getting noticed was the goal tonight. He needed to work his emotions out through music. He needed to forget everything that happened over the past few weeks. He needed to forget Jackson Wang, if only for one night.

Mark had to dig the mesh shirt out from the back of his closet. Jaebum had got it for him on his birthday a couple years ago, more as a gag gift than anything else. Practically transparent clothes and Mark didn’t exactly go hand-in-hand most days. But he’d be lying if he said he had never worn it before. Sometimes, on days when his hormones had raged more than usual, he’d thrown it on and wandered out to the club just for a little physical contact.

Never had he broken it out for work before, though. There was always a first for everything. He matched it with a perfectly-fitted pair of pants and suit jacket, finishing it all off with a pair of chain-decorated black boots. Suave yet dangerous, he thought. Styling his hair up off his forehead was second nature at this point, letting it fall down on one side in a perfect wave of platinum.

Both Jinyoung and Jaebum’s jaws dropped when he walked into the living room. There was no possible way he wouldn’t get hit on tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I couldn't just leave it as just Jackson's POV, so we have the first ever dual POV chapter! Yay! This took a while for me to write, simply because I kept writing and rewriting Jackson's section. I'm so glad I brought Youjin into the story though. He's a great guy to bring in as an emotional aid for Jackson, but he's got the looks to make Mark jealous. ;)
> 
> I feel like a lot and not much happened all at the same time in this chapter. I'm really hoping to pump it up in the next few chapters, so stay tuned.
> 
> In the meantime, I hope you're all enjoying the uber amounts of Markson that's happening recently. They give me so much inspiration. Keep it coming, boys. Haha


	9. A Mess of Emotions

It took Jackson longer than usual to fall asleep. Even when he did, it was a fitful sleep. Not exactly the most relaxing. He couldn’t forget about the fact that Mark hadn’t messaged him back. That it was well into the day on the other side of the world and he still hadn’t heard anything from the older boy.

He started questioning himself, wondering if he said or did something to make the other upset. There was no use counting how many times he’d reread the messages, inspecting them for anything and everything that might have gotten taken the wrong way. But no matter how many time he looked, he could never find anything. Well, except for his last message. But even that didn’t seem like enough to earn him full silence.

When he walked into the studio the next morning, Jackson felt sluggish and drained. He was used to working on very little sleep, but he could usually rely on his mental well being to carry him through the hard points. This time, though, the constant worrying and wondering had exhausted before the day even started. The reds and greens around him seemed a little duller than usual. He wasn’t sure if that was just because he felt like a walking sack of potatoes or if it was because of something else. He didn’t really want to think about the alternative.

“You look like shit,” BamBam said as Jackson walked through the door. The older shot him a look telling the other not to bug him, pushing his silver blonde hair out of his eyes. BamBam just brushed off the look and when back to stretching. They all had their off days. 

Practices were usually less intense during promotions. The boys wanted to keep their energy up for their actual performances, so they tried to keep rehearsals simple. Even with the lowered demand, Jackson still found himself stumbling and panting through it all this time around.

“We may as well just stop,” BamBam sighed about an hour in. “It’s almost lunch anyway. Maybe some food will wake you up.” The boy wasn’t usually a pointed person, but when it came to getting work done, he got frustrated quickly. He wasn’t about to let anything hold Titan back, themselves included. It was a side of him very few people ever saw and one that Jackson truly admired. Well, most of the time.

There was no use in arguing. Both Yugyeom and Jackson knew that he was right. What was the point in continuing to practice when Jackson just messed up every time? It only took Jackson a minute to gather up his stuff and walk out of the studio. Food actually did sound good right about now. Heading out the back door to avoid the fans that were no doubt waiting en masse at the front, he beelined straight for a nearby cafe that he knew had good sandwiches.

The guy at the counter wasn’t the kind of guy who know what any pop star looked like. He didn’t even bat an eye when he took Jackson’s order. All a blessing in disguise for an idol who was doing his best to avoid being noticed. Jackson picked a small, slightly hidden table near the pick-up counter and pulled out his phone from his bag. He even made sure to peel the case off of it. He’d been caught once before because someone recognized it.

As usual, his Instagram notifications had blown up since the last time he checked. The amount of times people tagged him in something made it pretty much impossible to clear all of them away. He tapped through to his tagged photos, expecting to see dozens of shots from their performance the day before. He liked seeing what people had to say about anything he did. But when he looked, it wasn’t his face at all that stared back at him.

The overwhelming array of pictures all showed the same thing. The familiar jawline that appeared in Jackson’s dreams night after night. The plump, pink lips that Jackson desperately tried to remember feeling press against his cheek. The thin, perfectly proportioned figure that crept into his thoughts at the least expected moments.

Mark. It was all Mark.

Yet, it wasn’t any of those things that caught Jackson’s attention this time. At least, not right away. It was that the boy who was currently giving him the virtual cold shoulder was at a club in a mesh shirt. If it could even be called a shirt with how little it left to the imagination.

Some of the pictures were crappy cellphone shots taken from far away. Mixed with the darkness of the club, Jackson could barely make out that the figure was Mark. Other pictures were professional quality, stamped with fan site names or logos. With each picture he looked at, Jackson felt more and more surprised. The Mark he knew never would have gone to a club looking so… revealing.

Then again, Jackson didn’t know Mark. Not like he wanted to. He didn’t know what Mark did when he got bored or how he acted when he got frustrated. He didn’t know if he could cook or if he ordered food almost every day like Jackson. He knew that he roomed with at least three other guys, but that was only because of the pictures from the airport, not Mark telling him.

No, in reality, Jackson knew nothing about his soulmate. It infuriated him that he had no idea why Mark wasn’t messaging him back and that he was as good as clueless when it came to the other’s life or habits. Not to mention the jealousy the festered in the back of his mind, reminding him that other guys were at that club, seeing Mark in all of his semi-exposed glory and no doubt doing their best to win his attention, all while Jackson was in Seoul, preparing for yet another performance. He’d never quite resented his life as an idol as much as he did at that moment. What he would give to have the freedom to drop everything and just jump on a plane to the States.

Jackson did his best to push down the scowl that had spread across his face as he went to pick up his order from the counter. The workers didn’t deserve to be glowered at when they did nothing wrong. But no matter how hard he tried to block them from his thoughts, the pictures of Mark - jaw set and lips just barely parted in one of the hottest expressions Jackson had ever seen - flooded his brain.

It was a good thing sandwiches didn’t feel anything. With how hard he tossed it against the back of the chair once he got back to the studio, it might have screamed in pain if it could. Emotions took control of Jackson’s actions, the jealousy and anger simmering inside him making him rougher and more impetuous. Before his butt even hit a chair, Jackson had pulled out his phone again and was already typing out a message to Mark.

_ What’s with the cold shoulder, huh? _

He deleting the message before he could even consider sending it. It was too harsh and all wrong. That much he could see. He’d never talk to Mark like that. Besides, it’s not like he’d even tried messaging the other yet.

_ Noticed today was your first day back at work _

Too creepy.

_ How’s it going? _

Too boring.

_ Got tagged in some pics of you at a club. Hope you had a good day. I’d love to hear about it sometime. _

He stared at the screen for a moment. It wasn’t exactly the next great work of literature, but it was alright. Nothing weird or angry about it and it encouraged Mark to contact him back, something that Jackson desperately hoped he would do soon. As he sent the message, he knew he wouldn’t get a response right away. That didn’t stop a part of him from secretly hoping he’d be proven wrong.

The next few hours were the slowest hours he’d ever felt in his entire life. From eating to driving to the music show set to recording then performing live, everything passed at a snail’s pace. No, it all felt slower than a snail. More like being stuck in a traffic jam that isn’t even moving slow. Every minute was an eon to Jackson. How the day dragged on drained all the extra energy out of him. The smiles and cheers and cute little gestures were nowhere to be seen, instead replaced with someone going through the motions, lost in his own thoughts rather than interacting much with anyone else.

People noticed. Of course they noticed. When did  _ anything  _ ever go unnoticed? The trio barely got home before their phones all blew up with messages from friends and SNS notifications from fans, all asking if Jackson was alright.

_ He didn’t seem like himself. _

_ Is he sick? He looks sick. You guys work too hard. _

_ Just let me know if you guys need anything. I’m always here to help. _

BamBam and Yugyeom changed into more comfortable clothes before coming back out to the living room to find Jackson sprawled on the couch, arm dangling off the edge with phone in hand.

“What’s going on, Jackson?” Yugyeom asked, taking a seat on the edge of the couch next to the older’s feet. “You’ve gotta talk to us.”

“Yeah, you’re acting really strange,” BamBam said, squirming his way under Jackson’s knees. “I mean, strange even for you.” Jackson might’ve considered hitting the kid in the crotch if it were any other time. But now, he just didn’t feel like it. “Aww, come on,” Bam whined. It’s like the lack of physical pain disappointed him, in a way.

Instead of answering the two, though, Jackson just unlocked his phone and passed it over. One of the better pictures of Mark was already on the screen, ready for whoever’s viewing pleasure. Jackson already saved a few dozen pictures and videos, telling himself he was only using them as reference to see what kind of place Mark worked at. Such a lame, half-assed excuse. BamBam and Yugyeom both grabbed at the phone, holding it between them as they looked at the picture.

“Ohhhh, who’s this?” BamBam cooed out of habit. They’d always been a tight knit group, which meant sharing pictures of hook ups and love interests whenever they came around. It didn’t even occur to BamBam who the guy in the picture was until Yugyeom nudged him, muttering under his breath. “I think that’s, you know…” he trailed off.

The realization hit BamBam a freight train. “OH MY GOD!” His grip on Jackson’s calf tightened to an uncomfortable degree.

“Yah!” Jackson cried, slapping Bam’s hand away from his leg.

“THAT is your boyfriend?” The disbelief in his voice normally would’ve annoyed Jackson, but even he had to admit it was amazed that someone as gorgeous as Mark had been named his soulmate.

“I don’t see what you’re so upset about,” Yugyeom added. “Is it a bad thing that he can pull off a shirt like that?”

BamBam snickered at the statement. It wasn’t that the youngest was clueless about guys, it was more that he was just generally clueless about anything when it came to relationships. He’d only really tried out dating a couple times here and there, none of the relationships really working out like he thought they would. He was a golden child filled with innocence. Compared to Jackson and BamBam, who were more often with someone else than they were single, he was a saint.

“He hasn’t messaged me back since yesterday,” Jackson muttered, not wanting to look at them. It all sounded childish when he said it out loud. Not being messaged back after a day shouldn’t be something that affected him this much. But he couldn’t help it. His body had taken over, throwing sense and logic out the window.

“Well what happened?” Yugyeom asked. “I mean, he wouldn’t just stop talking to you, right?”

“I don’t know what happened,” Jackson admitted.

“I’m sorry, Jackson,” BamBam said. His voice had dropped to a quiet almost-whisper. The boy’s fingers moved back onto Jackson’s leg, this time massaging the muscles instead of squeezing them to a mush. It was his best effort at giving some immediate comfort. “Is there anything we can do?”

“I’m just gonna turn in,” Jackson muttered, moving his legs away from them as he got up. The two glanced at each other, neither used to this calm, somewhat depressed side of their hyung. They didn’t take their eyes off of him until the door to his room clicked shut behind him.

Turning in early gave just enough time to go through all of his nighttime routine, something that he hardly ever had the chance to do anymore. The distant familiarity was enough to lull Jackson into a sort of groggy, half-asleep state. The taste of organic toothpaste coated his lips and gums while a green tea-based scrub soaked into his pores. Something about the mixture of smells and relaxing sensations soothed him into a trance.

Even with the added effects of his routine, though, Jackson still tossed and turned as he slept. Images of Mark surrounded by other guys, smiling and laughing as they doted on him and told him jokes while Jackson was stuck in place, never able to get closer no matter how hard he tried.

Whenever he jolted awake, Jackson felt awful. How could he be so absolutely pathetic? So what if Mark laughed around other guys? So what if he had a good time? What kind of person did it make him for wanting to take all that away? For wanting to be the only person Mark smiled at?

He woke up dozens of times throughout the night. But when he woke up around 3 am, it wasn’t because to the recurring nightmare. His cell phone vibrated on his bedside table, inching closer and closer to the edge of the nightstand with each buzz. Jackson groaned and propped himself up enough to glance at the screen. It only took a second to register the name in the yellow bar across the top.

SilenT93

Mark. It was Mark.

Jackson’s fingers couldn’t wrap around his phone fast enough. He pulled up the messages, noticing there were only two short ones.

 

_ SilenT93: I’m assuming this is Jackson. Hopefully you’re awake. _

_ SilenT93: And no, I’m not Mark. _

 

Jackson only hesitated for a minute before responding.

 

_ 852Puppy: Who is this? Where’s Mark? _

_ SilenT93: I’m Mark’s friend, JB. _

_ SilenT93: He’s still passed out from last night. Messaging you while I could grab his phone. _

_ SilenT93: Now look, I’m not usually one for getting mixed up in other people’s drama _

_ SilenT93: But Jinyoung and our neighbor have been fighting for hours. I just want it to stop. _

_ SilenT93: Since you’re pretty much the source of it all, the only way to make them chill out is to hear your side. _

 

Jackson’s eyebrows furrowed together. He had no idea who Jinyoung was. He really had no idea what was going on in general. But, obviously, something had happened.

 

_ 852Puppy: My side? About what? _

_ SilenT93: Man, you really don’t know what’s going on, huh? _

_ SilenT93: Mark saw some message from you about telling people about you guys. Then our neighbor came over and showed him some picture of you hugging some other guy and he put 2 and 2 together. _

_ SilenT93: He had a tiny mental breakdown. _

_ SilenT93: Jinyoung found out from him last night while he was at work. So he pretty much dragged our neighbor over here this morning to demand an explanation. They’ve been yelling at each other for hours. But you can stop it. _

_ 852Puppy: What do you mean? _

_ SilenT93: Just tell me what happened. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohmygod. I feel like it's been forever since I updated this. Siiiggghhh. Well, good news is I'M UPDATING NOW! Hahaha. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, but at the same time it was a little infuriating. Jackson's such a mess of emotions and he doesn't know what to do with all of it. Talk about new experiences leaving you confused, huh?
> 
> As always, let me know what you think in the comments. If you want a crazy daily dose of Markson, as well as updates on anything I'm writing, whether it be the next BC chapter or a new real-life inspired one-shot, be sure and follow me on Twitter (@infectiouskpop).
> 
> UPDATE (160609) - Hey everyone! Just wanted to leave a note here to say that the next chapter's going to take a TAD bit longer. It's in the works right now, but I'm also working on two new fics that I thought up, because I have no self control. Both are Markson fics, one looking at the two meeting in California if GOT7 had never happened, the other an assassin story set in ancient China. Please anticipate all of them.


	10. Things Aren't As They Seem

At daybreak, streams of orangey-gold sunlight peeked through the gaps in the blinds. Usually they got shut at night for this exact reason, but Mark’s slightly shitfaced nature the night before made him forget even the simplest tasks.

A groan escaped his lips as one of the rays moved right into his eyes. “Fuck,” he moaned as he felt his brain pounding in his skull. An ample punishment for a night of trying to forget. Mark felt something brush against his chest as he shifted in bed. He peeled the covers back and nearly choked when he saw the mesh shirt still clinging to his torso. Fingers immediately moving to pry the shirt off, he tossed it across the room before curling back up under the covers again.

There was no hope for him to fall back asleep, but his body didn’t want to move. Hangover therapy tended to include a  _ lot _ of lying around doing nothing, just how he liked it.

That made it all the easier to pretend he was asleep when his door creaked open an hour later. “Mark?” Jaebum whispered. “Are you up yet?” The sound of distant shouting filtered in through the open door. Mark’s brow furrowed as he tried to figure out whose voice it was. Who would be yelling this early in the morning? Luckily, his body was turned away from the door, so Jaebum couldn’t see the shift in his expression.

“Mark?”

When the older didn’t answer the second time, Jaebum tiptoed into the room, his sock-clad feet barely making a noise on the carpet. Where he was headed or why he even entered the room in the first place, Mark didn’t know. That was the benefit of pretending to be asleep, though. His roommate let out a quick sigh of relief from the opposite end of the room. Mark guessed he was standing in front of Mark’s desk now, clearly looking for something.

The subtle click of fingers pressing virtual buttons confirmed Mark’s itching suspicion that Jaebum was after his phone. Mark suddenly regretted the time he’d told Jaebum his lock code. He wanted to turn, to catch him in the act and demand to know what was going on. But if there was anything he was truly good at, it was waiting and letting everything play out in front of his eyes without anyone knowing. It sounded way creepier than it actually was.

After a few minutes of typing away in silence, Jaebum swore under his breath. “This guy is fucking clueless.” Confusion spread over Mark for a second before it became painfully clear who he was talking about. There was only one person Jaebum would’ve known about in Mark’s contacts that he didn’t already have saved in his own phone. Jackson. But why was he talking with him now? What did he need to say so badly that he’d sneak into Mark’s room to tell him?

A few minutes later, Jaebum opened the door again. The shouting sounded louder than before, but it still wasn’t enough for Mark to hear who it was or what they were saying. Once the door clicked shut again, Jaebum yelled from the other side then thudded down the stairs. Sliding out of bed, Mark walked over to his desk and picked up his phone. There were no unfamiliar texts. The KKT conversation with Jackson looked the same as it had 24 hours ago. Jaebum deleted whatever messages he’d been sending.

More than a little annoyed, Mark rushed out of his room, hell bent on grilling Jaebum until he got answers to all the questions flying around in his head. As soon as he reached the edge of the stairs, though, he heard something that made him pause.

“If you two would just calm down, I’ll tell you what he said.” Jaebum’s voice was strong and commanding, clearly trying to reign someone in. Mark thought of the shouting he’d heard and wondered if that had anything to do with it.  _ Of course it does _ , he thought.  _ I don’t hear the screaming now, so what else could it be? _

He moved down a few stairs before taking a seat, staying hidden by the wall that stood between him and the living room. “Are you two okay now?” Jaebum asked.

“Just tell us already,” Jinyoung muttered. The sound of his voice surprised Mark. Jinyoung wasn’t the type to yell at anyone. He was usually so calm and, when he wanted to be, very calculating. But, now that he thought about it, the yelling did resemble his best friend’s voice. A lot.

There was a pause, the silence more deafening than any bass-blasting club he’d been in. Mark found himself unconsciously leaning forward, desperate to hear something.

“I told him basically that everything was going haywire over him and that he needed to explain himself,” Jaebum began again. “He really had no idea what was going on. I guess Mark hasn’t said anything to him since it all happened.”

“That doesn’t change anything,” Jinyoung blurted out. “He was still all over some other guy in front of cameras. And if he tried to pull that ‘I didn’t know Mark liked me crap’, I’m not buying it. Mark’s been glued to his phone ever since he got back.”

“Jinyoungie, please,” Jaebum sighed. “Just calm down and listen. The guy didn’t even know the picture was taken. He said there were cameras everywhere that weren’t recording and dozens of staff people all around. How was he supposed to know that one person was taking a picture right at that moment?”

“He shouldn’t be doing that kind of stuff in the first place,” Jinyoung muttered.

“That’s like saying you shouldn’t be allowed to hang out with Mark anymore because we’re together,” Jaebum sighed. “Should I be demanding that you two stop hanging out? Should I be throwing fits when you cuddle up with him when you’re watching a movie?”

Mark felt heat rise to his face. He hadn’t ever really thought about it, but him and Jinyoung were definitely more clingy than most friends. They were both lucky that Jaebum was so understanding of their friendship. He’d never once shown any kind of jealousy or hostility. At least, not that Mark ever saw.

He didn’t need to see Jinyoung to know that he was silently glaring at Jaebum. He was right, but that didn’t mean Jinyoung liked it.

“What about the message? That didn’t exactly help his case.”

Jaebum huffed. No doubt he was shoving his hands into his pockets, tired of Jinyoung’s desperate attempts to make Jackson some sort of comic book villain. “He sent that question because he was worried that, if word got out, it would hurt his group. He said he didn’t want the other two guys to suffer because of him.”

Mark’s mind wandered, thinking about how Jackson would react to his and Jinyoung’s friendship. He seemed nice enough, but jealousy was a dangerous switch that could completely change someone. Mark hoped that the other boy, his pre-determined soulmate, would be understanding. A part of him was certain that Jackson would never intentionally do anything to hurt him, but that twinge of fear that he’d read the other all wrong still sat at the back of his mind.

“So it was all just a misunderstanding, then,” Jinyoung sighed.

“I told you!” Mark leaned forward again at the sound of Anna’s voice. Was she who Jinyoung had been yelling at? “Jackson’s one of the kindest people in the world. He’d never hurt anyone, especially someone he was into.”

“How do you know he’s into Mark?” Jinyoung said. “You don’t even know him.”

“I know him more than you do,” she retorted. “Besides, I’m pretty good at telling when someone’s real and when they’re playing it up for the camera. Jackson’s as real as they get.”

Hearing that lifted a weight from Mark’s chest that he hadn’t even known was there. Something about someone who knew who he was and the hectic life he lead saying he was genuine made Mark happy.

He wanted to message Jackson. To say that everything had just been a mistake. That he knew what really happened now.

When he got back to his room, there was a missed call notification waiting for him. Mark’s brow furrowed as he saw that his mom had just tried to call him. There was no voicemail, but it still felt off. His mother never called him before noon. He chewed his bottom lip nervously as he called her back, waiting for her to answer.

“Yi En,” she answered. “You have your passport with you, right? I’m coming to get you.”

“What?” he asked. It didn’t make sense. His mother always planned everything. Spontaneous trips were something she would never do. “What’s going on?” He would’ve asked where they were going that he’d need a passport, but there was only one other country that his mother would ever travel to. Taiwan.

“Your aunt…” she trailed off. “She’s not doing so well.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! So I feel like a lot happened in this chapter, but at the same time not very much happened. I'm glad Jaebum took the initiative to figure out what was going on since it was driving Jinyoung crazy. Mark too, but in a less dramatic sense. Or, a less sober sense, should we say?
> 
> Anyway, then next few chapters should be a real ride. I think you all will really enjoy what's coming up. At least I hope you do!
> 
> As always, let me know what you think in the comments below. I love seeing what everyone has to say. And if you haven't checked it out already, I've started a new Markson fic called "Destined To Be", which is a look at how Mark and Jackson might've met had GOT7 never happened. It's gonna be an interesting little side project for me.
> 
> Thanks everyone for sticking with me through these first ten chapters! Here's to many more to come.


	11. Some Things Have To Be Done

Despite it being almost four days since Mark had returned to the States, fans still continued to tag Jackson in all the airport photos they took of him. Jackson stayed hyper-aware of himself, making sure he didn’t like any of the pictures on accident. The would just let the whole world know that, when he wasn’t working, he sat around staring at pictures of his soulmate. It probably looked really pathetic from the outside.

A part of Jackson had hoped that his little one-on-one with Jaebum would lead to Mark talking to him again. Knowing the whole situation now, he knew how bad everything probably looked to Mark, but he thought Jaebum would’ve explained it all to Mark by now. In his fantasies, Mark even admitted that he liked Jackson. That thought always made Jackson’s chest tighten nervously. He for sure liked Mark, no doubt much more than he should after only one very last minute date. He was in so deep already.

Sighing, he nestled himself even further into the couch. The group had the morning off before resuming their usual schedules in the afternoon. The half days off here and there were much-needed opportunities for the three to do whatever they wanted, but never had the time to do.

Jackson scrolled through his tagged photos, staring at angle after angle of Mark in a slightly-frayed tank top that showed off the edges of his collarbones and a studded black snapback that he tried to hide his face under. About 30 photos in, though, something caught Jackson’s attention.Suddenly, the photos started switching between Mark in the tank top and him in a white shirt and red plaid flannel. Jackson sat up, scrolling back through the newer pictures, looking at the captions and location tags for some hint at what was going on.

_ Spotted mystery boy at Taipei International. Asked what his name was, but he didn’t say anything. _

Breath caught in Jackson’s throat. He was less than three hours away. Mark Tuan, the boy he couldn’t stop thinking about since they’d said goodbye at that hotel in Hong Kong, was so close. Even though it had only been a couple weeks, it felt like months to Jackson. Now, knowing that the boy was so close again, his heart started racing.

Before he knew what he was doing, Jackson was on his feet and moving back into his room. He pulled a couple shirts and pairs of jeans out of his closet, piling them into a bag as he dialed his manager.

“Jackson?” The surprise in the man’s voice would’ve annoyed him if his mind wasn’t flying at a thousand thoughts a second.

“Hyung, I’m going to Taiwan. I’ll be back tomorrow afternoon.”

“What?” His manager was understandably frantic at the statement. “You can’t just up and leave for another country. That’s not how this works.”

“I’m going no matter what you say,” Jackson retorted. He felt bad for sounding so petulant. His mother had taught him better. But nothing else mattered to him at that moment. All he could think about was seeing Mark face-to-face, having one last chance to explain himself without relying on anyone else.

He grabbed a couple pairs of socks and underwear and tossed them in the bag as well. “I have to go. I’ll tell Bam and Yugyeom to say I’m sick or something. No one else will know I’m gone.”

“As soon as someone see you at the airport, everyone will know.”

“Well then no one will see me.” The man scoffed in disbelief. To be honest, even Jackson wasn’t sure he could make it through Incheon without getting spotted. But he had to try.

“Look, hyung,” Jackson started again, “I didn’t call to ask anything. I just wanted to let you know what was going on. I’ll explain everything when I get back.”

“You’re putting a lot on the line for this, Jackson. You’re putting my career on the line.” He sounded strained, but all the animosity in his voice had disappeared. “It better be worth it."

“It is,” was all Jackson could say before he hung up.

He called Yugyeom and BamBam from the back of a taxi, relieved for probably the first time ever that the two were, quite predictably, hanging out together even on their morning off. After explaining the situation at breakneck speed, the other two cooed and giggled. They sounded much more supportive of Jackson’s spontaneous trip than their manager had, for which Jackson was grateful. He couldn’t take another guilt trip.

As soon as he stepped out of the car, he went into hyper-aware mode. A few people started watching him as he waited in line at the ticket counter, but after making a show of digging earwax from his ears and sniffling loudly, they looked away. People never associated idols with disgusting habits. It’s like they thought idols could never act gross. It was a stereotype that worked in his favor.

Even when the first flight he could get on was in mid-flight, Jakson didn’t relax. He wouldn’t be able to fully relax until he was secluded in a building, away from prying eyes. Or maybe he’d relax when he saw Mark again. No, he’d definitely relax.

He suddenly felt more relieved as the plane taxied to the gate after having landed safely in Taipei. Knowing where to go once he’d landed in Taiwan never crossed his mind until he was already on the plane. But he remembered Mark telling Jackson the name of the small village where his family lived when he’d been there just days ago.

Just one quick car ride stood between them now.

 

 

The first thing Jackson felt when he heard that Mark and his mother were at a funeral was a deep, heart-wrenching sadness. The cemetery was the beautiful kind that only small villages could have, covered in trees and grass all around. As he entered the grounds, Jackson spotted a congregation on top of a small hill. Among the group was the thing, perfectly shaped figure that he’d memorized at this point.

Soft, quick sobs resonated from the group. Everyone seemed so lost that even a shift in the wind could disturb them. Jackson hung back, leaning against a tree at the bottom of the hill. Waiting was all he could do for now.

A few minutes later, people started making their way back to the cemetery entrance, walking alone or in small groups. Jackson waited patiently, never taking his eyes off of Mark’s back. He was one of the last people to leave, turning back with an older woman Jackson could only assume was his mother. She was shorter than Mark, but her face was warm and caring, even in such a sober place. The two made it about halfway down the hill before Mark looked up.

“Jackson?” His voice was raw, matching the puffy redness of his eyes.

Shifting to stand up straight, fears of rejection washed over the younger. If Mark started saying he shouldn’t have come, Jackson would really feel like an idiot.

But Mark didn’t even stop when he saw the other. Instead, his pace quickened a little. He walked right into Jackson, latching his arms around the boy’s waist. His face buried itself in Jackson’s neck, tears flowing again.

“Jackson,” he whispered into his neck.

The sound made Jackson’s already aching heart shatter. He wrapped one arm around Mark’s torso, the other moving to stroke the boy’s hair gently.

“I’m here,” he said. “I’m here. Just let it all out.”

Mark relaxed at the words, letting his body weight fall into Jackson’s arms. There was something about the way he leaned into him so completely that made Jackson’s chest tighten up. It was something so small, but, to Jackson, it showed faith. It showed trust. It showed love.

As he held Mark, Jackson started to notice the grass and trees more clearly. The green became more and more intense, growing to a level he’d never seen before. It was overwhelming, a visual replication of the feeling rushing through him. The feeling of love, intensifying with every second Mark was in his arms.

The two stood there like that, Jackson soothing Mark as the older dampened the shoulder of Jackson’s shirt with his tears, until Mark calmed down again. Even after the tears stopped, he kept clinging to Jackson for a few moments, his arms tight and a little desperate around Jackson’s waist. It was like he was floating away and the only person that could keep him grounded was his soulmate. Jackson wished he could see Mark’s face, wished he could have any clue how he was feeling now.

“I missed you.” He felt Mark’s words more than he heard them, the older boy pretty much muttering them into his neck. They were words that made Jackson’s whole body go numb. He hadn’t expected to hear them, let alone only a few minutes into their reunion.

“I missed you, too,” he admitted. Not that it was any sort of secret.

Mark slowly pulled away, taking a tiny step backward to put some space between them. “Where are you staying? I’m sure we can drive you,” Mark continued, motioning to his mother who stood halfway between them and the entrance. She’d been waiting patiently ever since Mark first started toward him. Jackson remembered Mark saying that his mother was a fan. But it was more evident that, first and foremost, she was a mother. One that would give her son all the space he needed without abandoning him completely.

“Oh, I, uhm…” Jackson trailed, his hand moving up to rub the back of his neck. “I don’t really know yet. This was all sort of last minute.”

Mark raised an eyebrow. “Last minute? You weren’t in town already?”

Heat rose to Jackson’s face. Already being in town would’ve been a lot more understandable in this sort of situation. It would’ve made him seem a lot less desperate, too. But Jackson couldn’t bring himself to care. Besides, maybe Mark would see his desperation as endearing. “No. I got in about an hour ago.” His eyes shifted from Mark’s face to the grassy ground between them. “I needed to see you again. I needed to explain.”

“You can stay with us,” Mark offered. His voice was calm and relaxed, but Jackson could tell he was anxious by how quickly he said it. “We’re all sleeping on the floor, but I don’t think anyone will mind adding one more.” He paused for a moment, thinking something over before reaching out and grabbing Jackson’s hand. Their fingers automatically laced together like it was something they’d done a million times before. “Besides, we definitely need to talk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully you all enjoy this chapter! I had a bit of a struggle with it, but it got to the point to where the more I tried to work on it, the more harm I did than help. I really enjoyed the sudden appearance of impulsive Jackson, though! Did you all see that coming? Mark sure didn't. Haha.
> 
> Anyway, assuming things go according to plan (no guarantees there), I think you all will really enjoy the next chapter. ;)
> 
> Oh! And quick note: Bringing Color surpassed 5k hits on AO3 and 4k hits on AFF, so THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! I'm really glad that you guys enjoy it and hopefully you'll keep enjoying it until the very end.


	12. The Sky's Pajamas

The best part about night time in late May was the feeling of the cool, damp breeze blowing through the darkness. The midnight blue sky sparkled with stars, not a single cloud blocking the view. Mark loved sitting outside at night whenever he visited Taiwan. Everyone in the village locked themselves inside so early that it felt like he had the entire world to himself, if only for a little while.

When Jackson had disappeared to wash up earlier, Mark took the opportunity to slip outside, away from the rest of his family. There weren’t any chairs or steps outside, so he just sat on the ground, leaning back against the house for support. He sat there for what felt like just a few moments, savoring the silence before he heard the door open. Mark just kept his eyes fixed on the twinkling sky above him.

“Here.” A sweatshirt dangled in front of him. “You look cold.” Mark glanced up to see Jackson, his blonde hair a damp, disheveled mess from just getting out of the shower.

“I’m fine,” Mark said. “It actually feels nice.”

The sweatshirt dropped into his lap. “That’s not what the bumps on your arms say,” Jackson muttered as he slid down the wall next to him. Mark groaned, giving in and slipping the sweatshirt over his head. If he was being honest, he had felt a little chilly, but not enough to do anything about it. The fleecy inside of the sweatshirt was warm and smelled like tea and just-washed laundry. It made Mark wonder if it was just chance that Jackson’s clothes smelled like two of his favorite scents, or if his favorites had been picked for him by some indescribable fate.

“I can’t believe how bright the stars are,” Jackson muttered. Mark glanced over at him again, inspecting his face as he stared at the sky. “My mom used to always tell me the sky actually put on pajamas when it was time to go to bed. She’d say the brighter the stars on the pajamas were, the better I’d sleep.” He paused for a minute, making Mark turn to look back up again. “I’ve never seen them this bright before.”

Mark smiled, appreciating how Jackson could tell him such a personal story so easily, and how simply he’d managed to connect it to that moment. It felt special. Jackson’s hand slid onto Mark’s lower thigh, palm up, a wordless invitation for Mark to hold it. It was an easy invitation to accept. He didn’t even have to think before lacing their fingers together. Something about Jackson’s hand holding his made Mark feel more comfortable than ever before. Everything felt right.

“About the other day,” Jackson muttered. “Your friend told me what happened and everything. I was hoping he’d tell you what I said, but-”

“He did tell me,” Mark interrupted.

Jackson’s eyes grew wide. His hand closed a little tighter around Mark’s as he glanced over, confused. “I was gonna message you, but then my mom told me about my aunt and I just forgot about everything. When I saw you today, I remembered that I hadn’t sent you anything. I didn’t say anything to you for almost three days and you still came to see me.”

Mark’s breaths felt heavy and uneven, like he was about to cry even though his eyes were dry. “That’s the most you’ve ever said to me,” Jackson said. His thumb rubbed gentle circles on the back of the older’s hand. “I like hearing your voice.”

A blush rose to Mark’s cheeks. He hadn’t even noticed that he’d said that much. Before he could look away out of embarrassment, though, Jackson caught his chin. “I like you, Mark. That’s what I came here to say. I needed you to know.”

For a minute, Mark couldn’t say anything. He’d barely heard what Jackson said over his racing heart. Never in a million years had he ever imagined he would be sitting outside his aunt’s house under a sky full of stars with the most handsome human he’d ever seen holding his face.

One creeping thought inched to the front of his mind as the shock of the situation wore off. “You can’t say you like me,” he muttered. “We don’t even know each other.”

Jackson’s hand moved away from Mark’s face, but he leaned closer so their faces were only inches apart. They were so close that Jackson’s breath ghosted over Mark’s face. If one of them moved just an inch more, Mark would know exactly how it felt to kiss him.

“I want to know you, Mark Tuan,” Jackson said. “I want to know absolutely everything about you.”

That was enough. No, that was more than enough. Mark leaned forward until his lips pressed against Jackson’s. The kiss was quick and shy, only lasting a few too-brief seconds before he pulled back. Part of him didn’t want to open his eyes, terrified that he’d misread something. Terrified that Jackson would be staring back at him, shocked and disgusted. It was an irrational fear, especially after what Jackson had just said to him, but it was there nonetheless. After all, just because they’d been thrown together didn’t mean they had to have feelings for each other. But all his worry disappeared just as quickly as it appeared when he felt Jackson lean toward him, pressing their lips together again.

There was an intensity that Jackson was trying to bury the second time around. Mark could feel it. Their kiss was reserved, both of them backing off as soon as anything started getting too intense. But Jackson’s lips tasted so good, like sea mist mixed with honey. Mark wanted to taste more.

Wriggling his hand free from Jackson’s, he grabbed either side of the idol’s shirt, pulling him closer. Jackson needed no convincing, immediately adjusting so he was half-straddling Mark. One of his hands planted itself on the ground next to Mark’s hip while the other rested on the wall next to his shoulder, giving Jackson just enough support to stay upright as he kissed the other back into the wall.

Somewhere along the line, Mark’s eyes had closed. He wasn’t sure when, but he didn’t really care, too involved in the sensation of Jackson’s lips on his. His tongue slipped from between his lips, licking Jackson’s anxiously. He wanted to explore as much of Jackson’s mouth as he could. The unrestrained neediness only encouraged the younger more. He opened his mouth, allowing Mark full access, all the while inching a little closer. Mark was still clutching onto Jackson’s shirt, more to steady himself than anything else.

Jackson began to move his lips to other parts of Mark’s face after a few minutes of high-intensity making out. Both of them were panting, lips abused and buzzing with endorphins. When the younger’s lips grazed the back of his jaw, Mark gasped, feeling the pressure in his groin grow to an uncomfortable level. “Jackson,” he moaned, voice still breathless. Instead of stopping, Jackson responded by latching onto the spot and biting down. That would for sure leave a mark.

“Jack- Jackson,” Mark breathed again. “Jackson, wait.” The boy gave the spot a quick kiss before leaning back. Mark felt a twinge of regret as he loosened his grip on Jackson’s shirt. The last thing he wanted to do was stop. But, as things got heated, reality decided to strike. Hard.

The way Jackson’s eyebrows furrowed when he saw Mark’s sad, regretful expression made Mark feel even worse for what he was about to say. “We uhmm,” he said, still slightly out of breath. “We can’t do this. It won’t work.”

“I don’t understand.” Jackson’s eyes stayed fixed on Mark’s face, burning for answers. “You seemed okay a few seconds ago.”

Mark huffed, frustrated that the other wasn’t understanding. Not that he’d said anything that would make Jackson understand in the first place, but that was beside the point. “It works now,” he said. “Shit, of course it works now. But what about when we’re across the world? We might not ever see each other again.”

“You thought we wouldn’t see each other again last time,” Jackson countered, “yet here we are.”

“This won’t happen all the time. I mean, I want this, but-”

“We can make it work.” Jackson scooped up both of Mark’s hands in his. “If we both want it, we can make it happen.”

“How?” That was the question that plagued Mark since that first night they’d gone out. He was too old to believe that wanting something hard enough made it happen. That was a story adults told kids so they wouldn’t give up on their dreams. “Your whole life is in Korea. You can’t just leave. And I’ve got school and a job and a life.”

“I’m not saying we move or anything. We’ll still have to use chat and Skype and stuff a lot. But when I get a break, I can come see you. Or if you have a long weekend or something, I can fly you to wherever I am.” Jackson squeezed Mark’s hands. “I want this. I want you.”

Mark could’ve sworn that Jackson’s lips got just a little more red as he spoke. That his cheeks got just a little less pale. He looked breathtaking in color. It was hard to think rationally with Jackson watching him like he was the only thing in the world.

“I just…” Mark didn’t know if he really wanted to admit everything he was thinking. Honesty was usually the best thing, not to mention it was what Jackson deserved. But the truth was also terrifying and had a tendency to change things, sometimes not for the better. He took a deep breath, letting his eyes flutter shut for a second. “I’m afraid. I don’t want to get into this then have it all fall apart. I’m already in too deep as it is. I might not be able to make it through a breakup further on down the line.”

A smirk snuck onto Jackson’s face before he leaned forward and pecked Mark’s cheek. “I can’t promise anything about the future,” he said, “but we were put together for a reason. You can’t deny that. Besides,I can promise that I’m in deeper than you.” He grinned, as if being hopelessly sucked into a potentially heartbreaking romance was something he was proud to be ahead at, and rested his forehead against Mark’s. “Can we at least try? If you say no, I may have to tell my manager I’m not coming back. I don’t give up easily.”

Mark wasn’t sure if he was kidding or serious, but he guessed it was probably a mixture of both. It made him smile, knowing that Jackson was so willing to do whatever it took. No one had ever been that dedicated to winning him over before, let alone someone he’d only ever seen a handful of times.

Instead of answering Jackson’s question, Mark just tipped his lips forward, meeting Jackson’s in a calm, relaxed kiss. “I guess that answers my question, then,” he muttered against Mark’s lips. Mark just giggled lightly, sitting back against the wall. Jackson followed suit, leaning back on his heels. “I like your laugh,” he said. “It makes the world a little brighter.”

“I…” Mark wanted so desperately to say something, anything, in response, but he couldn’t think of anything. He sat there, bottom lip between his teeth, trying to think of a reply. Why couldn’t he think of anything?

“Hey.” The soothing sound of Jackson’s voice drew Mark back into reality. His fingers started rubbing light circles on the tops of Mark’s hands again. “I leave tomorrow morning, but I want to spend every second I can with you. I want to ask you a million questions. If you’ll let me, that is.”

“What about the stars? Didn’t they say it was going to be a good night to sleep?” Mark joked, squeezing Jackson’s hands gently.

He just shrugged. “I can sleep on the plane. Spending all the time I can with you is more important.”

“Well then,” Mark said, “that sounds perfect.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yas! The Markson kiss is finally here! I knew they couldn't hold out too long, especially after being separated by the entire world, basically. Distance makes the heart grow fonder, am I right?
> 
> Anyway, this chapter took so long to get out mainly because I didn't have time to even really think about writing until like three or four days ago, then I got sick one day and just slept. So it took longer than I intended to get the chapter out, but hey! It's here now.
> 
> I'll probably look to be writing a smutty oneshot next, just for some practice in writing smut again (it's been so long since I last took a stab at it), then maybe another chapter for Destined to Be? I don't know. We'll see. I'm definitely doing the oneshot, though, so stay tuned for that.
> 
> What'd you all think of the chapter? Do you agree with how Mark handled everything? What about Jackson?


	13. This Isn't Goodbye

As Jackson walked away from the check-in counter, he couldn’t help but marvel at how awake he felt. Usually after a night of little to no sleep, exhaustion hit him dead in the face. But something about a whole night of just sitting under the stars, talking with Mark made him feel more refreshed than ever. The two had talked about anything and everything they could think of, from past relationships to whether cats or dogs were better, to where they wanted to be in five years. Once he broke through Mark’s shy exterior a little more, Jackson was amazed by the answers the older gave. He thought about every detail when it came to his future, even though he admitted he had no idea where he’d end up even in one year, let alone five. “Life changes too much,” he said. “What’s the use in predicting when you’ll probably be wrong?”

That statement stuck with Jackson, making him reconsider a lot of things. Well, that was probably a tiny bit dramatic. But it did make him really think about life and his goals, something that Mark caught on to and proceeded to tease him about. “Am I changing the great Jackson Wang’s life?” he joked.

"You already have," Jackson replied, grabbing Mark's hand and kissing his fingers gently. That made the older look away, red coloring his cheeks and ears.

Mark's mother woke up at dawn to find them outside, her son asleep with his head in Jackson's lap. Jackson sat with his back propped against the wall, stroking Mark's blonde hair gently. He was too lost in his own thoughts to notice Mrs. Tuan standing in the doorway. "You match him well," she said in Mandarin. "I never would have put you two together on my own. I guess that's why I'm not in charge." She smiled at him lightly before fixing her gaze down the small village road.

"I knew right when I saw him that he was special," Jackson admitted. "But every time I see him, I somehow manage to fall deeper. I know he has his doubts, but I think he feels the same way."

Mrs. Tuan smiled even wider, her eyes crinkling pleasantly at the edges. "He cares for you more than I've seen him care for anyone," she said. With that, she turned, about to head back inside, before pausing again. "I booked him a flight home for this morning. Maybe you can spend just a little more time together before you have to split up again."

That's how Mark ended up in the airport half an hour before Jackson, drawing all the public attention to himself so the idol could slip through the crowd unnoticed. It surprised him, seeing a mob of fans circle around Mark almost immediately after he stepped into the airport. They were all surrounding him just because he'd been seen with Jackson once.

Once both of them made it through security and customs, they met up at a small table in the back corner of a cafe, hoping to hide themselves away enough for prying eyes not to find them. Letting his bag fall to the ground, Jackson slid his chair closer to Mark. He positioned himself just close enough to where his legs could press up against the older's without anyone else thinking twice.

"I'm glad she did this," Mark muttered as he clutched onto the warm mug in front of him. "I'll never tell her that, but I'm glad." Jackson grinned, moving his hand to grip Mark's wrist in the best attempt at comfort he could muster while still remaining cautious of the people around them. He rubbed the top of the older’s hand a few times with his thumb.

“The more time I get with you, the happier I am,” Jackson said. “I don’t know how I’m gonna survive not knowing when I’ll see you again.”

The over-dramatic flair that Jackson had for anything and everything in life could be a little much sometimes. Mark rolled his eyes playfully and said “You’ve survived before. You can do it again.”

“That was before I knew that you’re a dog person that can only cook ramen," Jackson joked. When Mark smacked him lightly, he giggled and squirmed in his seat, subtly hooking his leg around the back of Mark's. "It doesn't help that I know what it's like to kiss you now, either." The instantaneous shift of his tone made Mark's smile drop just a little. Jackson's eyes dropped to the older's lips, watching as he pulled the lower back between his teeth.

Part of him wanted to whine and complain about how unfair the other was being. Didn't he know that acting so sexy just hours before they had to split up yet again was the worst kind of torture? But saying something wouldn't do anything to stop him from being enticing. Nothing could stop that.

So, instead, Jackson leaned over and kissed him. It wasn't as breathtakingly frantic as their makeout session the night before, but it ran deep with passion and just a hint of sadness. Mark let his hand fall from the table to rest on Jackson's thigh, leaning against it as he matched the calm intensity of the kiss. He pulled back after a moment, ending it all too soon in Jackson’s opinion. As the younger blinked his eyes open again, he stared at the dark brown eyes looking back at him, just inches away. They were curious and a little confused.

"What?" Jackson whispered. "Bad?"

The blonde locks that swept across Mark's forehead jostled around as he shook his head. His lips stayed pursed together, though, as if he still couldn't figure something out. Jackson tried his best to wait, distracting himself by soaking in the feeling of Mark's thin fingers wrapped around his leg. He wanted to remember exactly how it felt for Mark Tuan to touch him so that, when they were back to being on the opposite end of the world, he could try and pretend that they were still together. Keyword being try. Nothing would replace the older actually being there. But maybe pretending could be second best.

When he moved his hand to rest on top of Mark's, the other jolted out of his mildly confused trance. He slipped his hand off of Jackson's leg and straightened back up in his chair.  "Okay, what?" Jackson asked, a little more demanding this time. "What's wrong?"

Mark shook his head again, letting his hair fall into his eyes. The silver strands were just the perfect length to hide his expression, like a built-in blindfold. Jackson moved his fingers up to sweep it away, gasping as he saw the older's glistening eyes underneath. "Hey hey hey," he comforted, automatically pulling Mark into his arms. "Shhhhh. It's okay." His hand moved to rest on the back of the older's hood-covered head, rubbing comforting patterns through the cloth.

"It's not okay," Mark muttered into Jackson's shoulder. "It's not fair. Why did I have to meet you?" The sting he felt in his chest made Jackson pause for a minute, re-evaluating what had just been said into his shirt. He knew that Mark didn't mean it in any sort of mean way, but it still hurt. Jackson wouldn't have traded meeting the boy in his arms for anything in the world.

"You would rather not to have met me at all?" he asked, his voice more curious than accusing.

"I didn't mean it like that."

Jackson smirked and pressed his lips to the side of Mark's head. "I know you didn't," he said. "Just remember that I'll never regret meeting you." He leaned a little closer so his lips were hovering just over where he guessed was the older's ear and whispered, "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

The quick hitch of Mark's breath was enough to kick Jackson out of his ultra mushy mood. "This is starting to feel too much like some ultimate goodbye and I don't like it," he said. Grabbing Mark's shoulders, he pulled the older away from him and smiled. "Let's go look at some of the shops or something." He wiped a tear streak off of Mark's cheek. "I'll get you something that's a little more your style.

Mark's mouth fell open for a second before he closed it and turned to his backpack. It only took him a minute to find what he was looking for, pulling it out and holding it inconspicuously in his hands. "This is my style," he said, smiling.

In his hands was the golden bracelet that Jackson had given him that night in Hong Kong. When he hadn't seen Mark wearing it, Jackson had figured the older forgot about it or just didn't want to wear it. "I'd wear it, but you said you didn't want people to know about us," he explained. "They'd probably be able to guess if they saw me wearing it. So I carry it around with me instead."

Jackson's fingers hovered over the metal before he pulled his hand back into his lap. "You're a quick learner," he said, chuckling a little. "Well, I'll get you something you can actually wear, too." He grabbed Mark's wrist lightly, tugging at him as he stood up. They only had a couple hours left together. Jackson wanted to make the most of it.

They walked though a few different shops, laughing at embarrassing tourist t-shirts and cheap electronics that they both knew would only work once before breaking. When they got to the more expensive stores, Mark slowed down a little, staring at all the luxuries he could never afford. Designer clothes and unique accessories that only someone with a stuffed wallet could think of buying.

Noticing when the older slowed down even more in front of a fine jewelry store, Jackson grabbed his hand and dragged him inside. "Look around," he urged when Mark stared at him, eyes wide. Everything in the store was at least $1500, but unless his soulmate decided he wanted a diamond-encrusted necklace that covered his whole neck and most of his upper chest, Jackson could afford it.

It only took a few minutes of careful browsing for Mark to find more than a few things that caught his eye, pointing them out to Jackson like a kid in a candy store. But he stopped in his tracks when he saw a gold ring with a midnight black square stamped into the top. "Can I see that?" Mark asked the man behind the counter, who simply nodded and pulled it out of the display.

Jackson tilted his head as he looked at the ring in Mark's fingers. It was probably the most simple looking piece in the whole store, not a single jewel on it, but it was elegant at the same time. Beautiful without trying, just like the person holding it.

"It suits you," Jackson said. He shifted so he was hovering just behind Mark, hand secretly resting on the small of the older’s back. Though he didn’t move away, Jackson felt the muscles in Mark’s back tighten at the touch. It was a nervous tension that melted away after a few seconds into a relaxed ease. Jackson almost thought he felt Mark leaning back into him a little.

The man behind the counter asked Mark what finger he’d be wearing it on, which Mark immediately responded to by motioning to his left pinky. As he slid the ring onto his finger, he muttered a quiet “woah”. The ring fit almost perfectly.

“Is there anything else I can show you today?” the salesman asked, smiling politely.

Jackson’s eyes dropped to Mark, who was still staring at the ring on his finger. “No, I think that will be everything,” he replied. It took him a minute to open his wallet and pull out a card, handing it over to the man.

As the man walked away to ring up the transaction, Mark glanced back at Jackson. “Aren’t you going to ask him the price first?” he asked. Jackson just shrugged, smiling as the salesman returned with his card and a receipt to sign. He tried his best to hide the price from Mark’s view, but he knew he failed as soon as he heard the sharp inhale next to his ear.

No one had ever signed a receipt as quickly as Jackson did after that. He wanted to get out of the store before Mark had some sort of anxiety attack or started demanding he return the ring. Once the last stroke of his signature was done, Jackson dropped the pen, nodding at the salesman quickly, and grabbed Mark’s hand, dragging him out into the concourse.

“Jackson, it’s too much!” Mark complained a little too loudly as they walked. A few people looked around after hearing the name, immediately seeming to connect it with the idol. Before they could find him, though, Jackson pulled Mark into a small corner hidden from most of the people around them.

“If you wanted everyone to know I was here, you really should have yelled,” he joked, backing Mark into the corner. The older looked shocked and confused and concerned all at the same time. He opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but closed it again after a minute, eyes darting all over the place. “Hey,” Jackson said, tipping his head so his face was right in Mark’s line of sight. “It was a joke. No one saw us. We’re fine.”

Taking a deep breath and nodding, Mark looked around again, suddenly noticing he was backed into a corner with Jackson’s arms on either side. He was trapped in place, not that he would’ve moved away in the first place. His eyes dropped down to look at Jackson’s lips, tongue glazing his own lips slowly. That just made heat start to pool in Jackson’s stomach, heart racing.

“You can’t do that to me now,” Jackson whispered, letting his face get dangerously close to Mark’s.

“Do what?” Mark asked, trying to play innocent despite the fact that he was still blatantly staring at Jackson’s lips.

“You can’t make me want to do unspeakable things to you when I have to get on a plane in fifteen minutes.” He stepped a little closer to Mark, their bodies now just millimeters apart.

“Wait, what?” Mark immediately broke out of his trance, staring wide eyed right into Jackson’s eyes. “Fifteen minutes? That’s it?” He looked almost like he was on the verge of tears, without the glistening eyes.

Jackson smirked a little, unable to believe how adorable his soulmate could look at the most random times. Ah, who was he kidding? He always looked adorable. “And to think that less than an hour ago, you said you wished you’d never met me,” Jackson joked.

A strong fist thudded against his chest, making Jackson just laugh and pull Mark into his arms. “Come here,” he said, pulling the other tight against him. “I promise I’ll see you soon, okay? I don’t care what I have to cancel or what I have to turn down, I’ll make sure we’re together again in no time.” Mark just huffed, forehead resting against Jackson’s shoulder.

After a minute of just standing there, soaking each other’s presence in, Mark lifted his head again. Without wasting a second, he moved his lips to Jackson’s, kissing him yet again. Jackson could feel all of Mark’s sadness and doubt in the kiss. It felt too hopeless for him, too much like a goodbye with no hopes of seeing each other again. Jackson let his frustration and uncurbed passion flow back, fighting against Mark’s feelings. The younger pushed Mark back into the wall, hands dropping to Mark’s waist.

He felt Mark try and fight back for a minute before giving in, letting himself melt into a puddle of hormonal lust, desperate to taste as much of Jackson’s lips as he could in their last moments together. The older’s dark hood fell back as he leaned to the side, moving his lips kiss-by-kiss down Jackson’s jaw to the spot just below the idol’s left ear. With a quick peck to loosen up the skin, Mark bit down just enough to make a bruise form later.

“Ah!” Jackson gasped, trying to keep his voice down despite the shock. “You couldn’t have done that in a more hidden spot?” Though it was clearly a complaint, the moan of pleasure that lived under the surface of his words made Mark giggle. “I’ll have to wear a hood or a scarf or something now. It’s summer, though…”

Mark cut off his rambling by returning his lips back to Jackson’s. His fingers slid into the pockets of Jackson’s jeans, pulling him closer again, and smirked as the younger’s breath ghosted across his lips.

_ Now boarding Korea Air flight 682 to Seoul. _

Never before had Jackson hated that announcement so much. Savoring the feeling of Mark’s lips against his for another brief moment, Jackson leaned back, breaking the kiss. “That’s my flight,” he muttered.

“Oh.” It was all Mark could say before his expression dropped back into one on the verge of tears. “I… uhm,” he muttered, searching for his words. “I…”

“I’ll miss you too,” Jackson interrupted. “I promise I’ll message you as soon as I land and I won’t stop until you have to turn your phone off. I might not even stop then.”

When Mark’s expression didn’t change, Jackson grabbed his chin, lightly tipping his face up to look at him. “Promise me you won’t think of this as the end,” Jackson said. “You told me we could try to make us work, remember?”

Mark nodded, still refusing to look Jackson in the eye. “Mark, please. Look at me?” Jackson pleaded. That got him to look up. Smiling at the sight of the deep brown orbs, the idol pressed one last kiss on his lips. “I’ll see you soon.”

“You promise?” Though Jackson knew he was trying his best to stay strong, Mark’s voice sounded small and quiet like a child’s.

“Swear on my life,” Jackson said, pressing a quick peck to Mark’s forehead. “I need to go.

As he pulled away from his soulmate’s warm embrace, Jackson felt his heart crack for the first time. It didn’t shatter or anything. There was more than enough hope to keep it in tact. But the pain he felt in his chest as he turned and walked away from Mark could only be described as damaging.

He turned back one last time before he reached his gate. Moving up the nearest escalator, alone and hidden in his hood and extra-large sunglasses, was his other half looking back at him. Jackson raised a hand and waved, wishing he could be silly and crazy without drawing attention to himself. He wanted to cheer the other up. 

The wave seemed to be enough to make him smile, though. He waved back quickly before disappearing yet again from Jackson’s sight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Long time no see! Well, unless you read my other stuff. Then it hasn't been that long. Anyway, I had a really fun time writing this chapter, which I'm sure is obvious since it's about 1k more words than my usual updates. Haha.
> 
> Their separation was inevitable. Again. When do you think they'll see each other again? Let me know in the comments.


	14. Just a Heartbeat Away

The way Mark’s fingers naturally gravitated to the ring on his pinky never ceased to amaze him. It’d been almost three months since Jackson had bought it for him and he still found himself touching the cool gold every chance he got. Something about it made Mark feel warm whenever he looked at it. It was so simple, no extra designs or carvings aside from the imprint on the top. But, even with it's simplicity, it matched anything. It would go with just a t-shirt and jeans or with a full suit without looking out of place. It was always just right.

It reminded him of Jackson.

Just thinking about the idol made Mark’s heart clench a little. Their constant texting and almost nightly video chats helped curb the pain that came with them being thousands of miles apart again, but nothing really made it completely disappear. Every time Mark saw Jackson’s face on his laptop screen, he felt happy to see him, but he couldn’t touch his cheek. He couldn’t wipe away the tears that sometimes welled up in Jackson’s eyes when one of them had to go. He couldn’t be there to celebrate when TITAN got another win or hug him when Jackson said he got a role on a new TV show.

He usually found ways to forget about the pain for a while. Somedays, he buried himself in schoolwork, getting all his assignments done for the next month just so he couldn’t think about anything else. Other times he took on extra shifts at the club, focusing on piecing together new mixes and trying not to get dragged off the stage by drunk people for at least one whole shift. That never happened, but it was at least something to concentrate on.

When even the distractions didn’t work, there were people around that could help at least ease the sadness. Jinyoung would make him soup and turn on the latest ridiculous indy film he’d found or drag him to the gallery downtown whenever there was a new art exhibit. Most of the time, Mark didn’t even care that all the paintings looked exactly the same to him because, so long as Jinyoung kept talking, it was enough of a distraction for him.

Jaebum had somehow managed to get Jackson’s contact information from Mark’s phone, so whenever he noticed Mark seemed a little more down than usual, he’d just text the idol and, usually within the hour, Jackson would be flooding Mark’s messages with silly selcas or cute pictures of penguins. It was an indirect way of helping, but Mark appreciated it none the less.

Mark’s phone lit up, shining like a beacon in the dark, stuffy club. Thursday nights were always packed to capacity, plus a little extra. College students and the concept of Thirsty Thursday were like a magnet for bars and clubs. It was also the only day that Mark needed a bouncer next to his booth, because some guys liked to get particularly wasted and insist they could play better music.

_Markie, you done with work?_

A smile crept onto Mark’s face as he read the message. He still remembered the first time Jackson said the new pet name, whining it right after they connected on their first video chat. Mark’s entire face turned the most embarrassing shade of red and Jackson had started teasing him, saying the pet name over and over again until both of them were giggling like idiots.

_Soon. Last call in 15 minutes._

Mark already knew what Jackson would text next. He was predictable in that he sent lots of sad emojis when Mark wasn’t available to talk right away. It wasn’t a way to pressure Mark or anything, so much as just a cutesy thing he did. Like a child pouting when they had to finish their dinner before they could watch TV.

 _:( :( :(_  
Markiiieeeeeeee  
I miss youuuuuu

A giggle escaped Mark’s lips. He moved his hands to the mixer in front of him, focusing on transitioning from the end of one song into the next before looking back at his phone.

_Vidchat when I get home?_

There wasn’t much for him to pack up once his shift was done, and the club was only a few blocks away from his apartment, so it would really be no time at all until he could hear Jackson’s voice again.

For the next twenty minutes, Mark couldn’t stop fidgeting. It was something that happened before every video chat they planned. Nerves still coursed through him every time he thought about seeing his soulmate. He found himself checking his hair and his face, something he’d never done before, to make sure everything looked okay. The entire walk home, which he did at an excessively quick pace, Mark mindlessly played with his ring as he tried to come up with topics ahead of time. It wasn’t until he was a block away that he even remember to text Jackson.

_Almost home. Call you in 5?_

He didn’t wait for a reply, pocketing his phone and continuing into his building. Their apartment was on the fourth floor, something that Mark both loved and hated since it meant he had to take the stairs. When he finally reached his floor, though, he paused, noticing a figure sitting outside of his door. It took Mark a minute to process why the figure looked so familiar. When he recognized it, though, he straightened up. “Jackson?”

The figure looked up and Mark finally saw the warm, smiling face that he thought about more than just about anything else. “I told you I missed you, Markie,” the idol said as he smirked, no doubt at Mark’s completely dumbfounded expression. He stood up and held his arms out. “Are you just gonna stand there?”

It only took a few staggering steps before Mark felt the warmth of Jackson’s arms around him again. As Mark nuzzled into the younger’s neck, he felt Jackson gently kiss the top his head. He soaked in the feeling of Jackson being there for a minute before leaning back, letting his eyes meet the other’s calmly. “How… What…” Mark tried to form any sort of a question, but all he could do was spit out a few words, still marveling over the fact that Jackson was even there.

Laughing lightly at the stammering boy in his arms, Jackson placed another quick kiss on Mark’s forehead before turning him around. “Let’s go inside,” he said, lacing their fingers together.

Mark didn’t even begin to ask why his apartment door was unlocked or how Jackson even knew where he lived, just deciding to follow him in and collapse on the couch in the living room. Jackson took a seat next to him, immediately pulling Mark to his side, and smirked.

“So you’re wondering what’s going on, right?” he asked. Mark just nodded. “Well, when I got back to Korea, I couldn’t just sit by and hope that the opportunity to see you again would pop up. That’s not my style. So I talked with my managers and, since I somehow managed to go undetected when I went to see you, they agreed that I could take a few days off once all my filmings and TITAN’s promotions had wrapped up. It gave me enough time to plan everything. I wanted to surprise you.”

“But, how?” Mark asked. There were so many questions connected to just that one. How did he get to his apartment? How did no one know he was coming? How could he expect to hang around unnoticed when one of his biggest fans lived right next door?

Jackson cocked an eyebrow, unsure about what exactly he was referring to. “Jaebum helped,” he admitted. “I told him everything I had planned out, which was basically just the days I had off and how I wanted it to be a surprise, and he helped with the rest.” His hand moved nervously to the back of his neck, rubbing it slowly as he waited for Mark to say something.

“So you’re here just for me?” Mark said, stunned. “I’ve got work the next few days, and classes, but I think I should be able to miss those at least for a little while and-”

“Mark,” Jackson interrupted, placing his hands on the other’s face. “Calm down. I know you’ve got things to do. Don’t worry about it. I’ll be here whenever you have time. As long as I can see you, I’m happy.”

Smiling weakly, Mark nodded in Jackson’s hands and took a long, deep breath. He didn’t handle surprises very well, especially when it came to making plans with other people. The pressure of not letting the other person down always got the better of him. But Jackson’s words mixed with the calming way his thumbs were running back and forth on his cheek made Mark feel a little better. Like maybe he wouldn’t be letting the idol down if he couldn’t spend all day with him.

As his body relaxed a little, Jackson leaned forward again, this time going in for a kiss. Mark melted at the feeling of Jackson’s smooth lips against his own. Everything felt just like he remembered, slick and passionate and perfect. His hands dropped to rest on Jackson’s thigh. The unforgettable salty-sweet taste of Jackson’s lips made Mark forget about everything he’d been worrying about, giving in to the moment completely. Jackson’s hands moved away from Mark’s face after a few moments, one sliding around to the back of Mark’s neck while the other dropped to prop himself up on the couch.

Part of Mark wanted to readjust, to get in a better sitting position that would make both of them a little more comfortable. He wanted to remember what it felt like that night in Taiwan, where they’d ended up panting and flushed from the intensity. But his entire body was exhausted. His sleep cycle had been a little messed up recently and, with having to work until 2:30 every morning, the lack of rest had started to catch up to him.

After a few more minutes, Jackson broke away, leaning back just enough to look at Mark. “You’re tired,” he said.

Mark looked down, embarrassed, but nodded in response. “I haven’t been sleeping that much recently,” he admitted. “But you’re here. I don’t want to waste any time I have with you.”

Jackson smiled, pure joy spread across his face. His eyes glanced away, glazing over as he seemed to get lost in his thoughts for a moment. “How about we talk, then?” he suggested. “I can even get you a snack, if you’re hungry.”

As if on cue, Mark’s stomach rumbled a little. It wasn’t the loud, obnoxious sort of rumble that happens when he could eat a whole pizza and then some, but just a gentle discomfort. It was his body’s way of saying, “Eh, I could eat something”. He half-smiled as Jackson looked back his way and nodded.

“Okay,” the younger said, leaning down to place another quick kiss on Mark’s lips before getting to his feet. “I’ll get something real quick. Don’t get too comfortable.”

Even though Jackson clearly meant the last part as a joke, Mark took it to heart, trying to sit in a more uncomfortable position to keep himself from falling asleep. His eyelids felt so heavy, though, drooping down over his eyes every now and then before he’d jolt back awake. Jackson was here, in his apartment. He couldn’t fall asleep. Not now. Mark crossed his arms in front of him, digging his nails into the opposite arms to try and make a little pain to keep him awake. Nothing could stop the weight of his eyelids, though. He eventually let them drop, determined that he wouldn’t fall asleep just because his eyes were closed.

When Jackson came back from the kitchen, mug of green tea and a plate of crackers and cheese in hand, Mark was curled up on the couch, fast asleep. He smirked, watching the other’s chest slowly rise and fall a few times before setting the snacks down so he could pick his soulmate up and carry him to his bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wohoo! I'm getting this out a few hours later than expected, but I got it out nonetheless! I wanted to kind of show how Mark was coping with the separation, since we kind of got a look at Jackson overanalyzing everything the last time. It turned out to be a lot of exposition with not very much dialogue this chapter, but I promise there will be more in the next now that they're back together again.
> 
> Also, I want to note that I don't know how quickly I'll be getting to the next chapter. It really all depends on if inspiration strikes, or if I want to focus more on my newest novel that I'm working on outlining right now. I also feel like I'm overdue for a oneshot, so maybe I'll crank one of those out, too. I'm not sure. But I just wanted to let you all know that it might be a couple weeks before my next update. To keep up to date on what exactly I'm working on, you can always follow me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/infectiouskpop).
> 
> Let me know what you thought of the chapter (and what you think will come next in the story) in the comments!


	15. New Day, New Adventure

Waking up soaked in sweat, still dressed in the clothes from the night before was always a little disorienting. So when Mark came stumbling out of his room, hair sticking every which way, Jackson just smirked. He did his best to pretend he hadn’t noticed the older, focusing on the mess of liquid-y eggs he was stirring around in the pan in front of him. He’d never attempted making scrambled eggs before, so he wasn’t even sure if that’s how they were supposed to look. But he wanted to at least try.

The soft padding of Mark’s footsteps shuffled to a stop in the doorway. “Jackson?” he asked, sounding more surprised than anything.

Too focused on not burning the eggs, the younger just shot a quick smile over his shoulder. “Hey, I was wondering if you were going to get up sometime this morning,” he answered. Part of him hoped that didn’t sound too creepy, like he’d just been sitting around all morning waiting for the other to wake up. That was exactly what he’d done, but that was beside the point.

“Oh, uhm,” Mark muttered, still frozen in the doorway. “I didn’t know you were here.”

Jackson felt his heart drop a little. He’d thought surely Mark was surprised enough to at least remember seeing him the night before. “Oh, I guess it was pretty late last night-” he started.

“No,” the older interrupted. “I mean, I remember. You were sitting in the hallway. I just thought it was all a dream.” He yawned, rubbing his eye with the back of one of his hands. “That’s what it usually is.”

Poking the blob of cooked eggs a few more times with the spatula to make sure they weren’t runny anymore, Jackson slid them onto a plate, leaving just enough room to set the still-slightly-warm PopTarts next to them. “You dream about me?” he cooed as he put the finishing touches on the plate.

“I mean,” Mark muttered, getting a little cranky, “is that such a bad thing?”

Giggling, Jackson picked up the plate in one hand, using the other to guide Mark to the table. “No, it’s a very good thing,” the younger admitted. He set the plate down as the older slumped into a chair. “Now try this and tell me if I messed it up.” Strands of the older’s tousled blonde hair fell down into his eyes as he glanced down at the plate in front of him.

“It’s for me?” Mark asked, looking between Jackson and the plate a few times.

“Yeah. I mean, I would’ve made something fancier if I could, but I can’t really cook and that seemed easy enough and-”

“Jackson,” Mark interrupted, mouth already full with a bite of eggs. “It’s good.”

“Really?” Jackson lit up, sitting down himself. “Oh good. I was terrified I was gonna make you sick or something on accident and I just…” Realizing he was rambling, he paused for a moment before shyly looking down at the table. “It’s good they came out alright.” Mark smiled, keeping his eyes locked on the plate in front of him.

It took Jackson nervously glancing at his phone for him to remember something he’d been meaning to ask Mark. Well, there were a lot of things he’d wanted to ask him, but this one was a little time sensitive. “So, one of my friends is a photographer and I guess he’s in Chicago right now,” Jackson said. “He saw that I was here and asked if he could get some pictures of me for his next show while I’m in town.”

The wide eyes that found Jackson’s surprised him. It was definitely last minute, especially considering how he’d arrived the night before saying that he was all Mark’s for the next few days. “Oh, uhm, that’s awesome,” Mark muttered, swallowing down the last bit of his breakfast.

“I mean, I can do it while you’re in class or something,” Jackson continued. He knew he had to get to the point quick, especially after hearing the slight disappointment in Mark’s voice. “I was kind of hoping you’d come with me, though.

If the older’s eyes had been wide after hearing the first part, they were popping out of his head now. “Come with you?” Jackson nodded. “To your photoshoot?” Jackson nodded again. “Why?”

It was an interesting question. It was enough to make Jackson stop and think for a minute. Honestly, he didn’t really think about why he wanted Mark to come with him. He just did. “I guess because it’s a part of my life, so it’s a part of me. I just want to show you as much of me as I can.”

Jackson expected some sort of shocked, stunned silence to follow. That’s what happened in the dramas, after all. Someone made some heartwarming confession, and then there was always silence while the other person worked through their surprise.

But this wasn’t a drama and Mark was anything but predictable. “Okay,” he said almost immediately, smiling. “I’ll go. Just let me know when.” Jackson couldn’t help but notice the flush rising up the older’s neck. Eyes focused back on the table, Mark glanced at his phone and jumped a little. “Uhm, I have to leave,” he muttered. “I’ve got class.”

Without another word, Mark rushed back to his room, leaving Jackson to his own devices. The idol took the time to wash, dry and put away the few dishes he’d used to make breakfast, despite the fact that both Jaebum and Jinyoung had assured him that he didn’t need to clean up. “ _ This is the cleanest the apartment’s ever been,”  _ they’d said.  _ “We really don’t expect it to stay that way.” _ But Jackson had been raised to be an exceptional houseguest. While he was washing, he heard the faint sounds of a shower getting turned on, then getting shut off soon after. Mark rushed back out of his room just a few minutes later. The black skinny jeans that hugged his frame perfectly would’ve drawn all of Jackson’s attention if it weren’t for the loose white tank top that hung low across his chest, exposing his collarbones. Now those Jackson could really get lost in.

Mark shoved a few things into a backpack that was the most brilliant shade of red Jackson had ever seen as he moved toward the door, slipping a gray beanie idly over his wet hair. Jackson stayed in the doorway of the small apartment kitchen, watching him with a smile. How a person acted when they were running late said a lot about them. At least, that’s what Jackson thought. It had nothing to do with the fact that he just liked seeing the other right in front of him, instead of through a screen.

Just as Mark was about to rush out, he paused, one hand on the door knob. “Oh,” he muttered, turning to face Jackson. “I almost forgot to tell you thanks for breakfast.” With one quick motion, he moved just in front of the idol, leaning in for a quick but not too quick kiss. Jackson felt Mark’s hand on his bicep, but he couldn’t move to hold the other back, frozen in place. Maybe one day he wouldn’t be so surprised when the other kissed him. Maybe.

By the time he thought to grab onto Mark so he couldn’t leave, the older had already broken the kiss and slipped out the door.

  
  
  


“Ohhhhh so you surprise kissed him?” Jinyoung’s eyebrow raised up, a knowing grin spread across his face. Mark just wadded up a napkin and threw it at his chest. When it came to his best friend, Mark knew that saying nothing in response to teasing was the best option. Anything he said almost always got used against him.

“Hyung have you ever even been to a photo shoot before?” Youngjae asked, focusing half on the conversation and half on the sandwich in his hands. Something about that boy’s strange obsession with turkey on sourdough made Mark worry sometimes. He only took a break in scarfing it down to grab a chip from the trendy rectangular plate in front of him and shove that into his mouth. “I mean, shouldn’t he be afraid you’ll mess it up or something?”

It took a total of two second for Jinyoung to smack Youngjae’s shoulder. The older’s teasing eyebrow wiggles morphed into a stern look, warning the forever-smiling boy next to him to watch what he said. “Knock it off,” he said. “It’s cute that Jackson invited him. And, of course he should go. He’d be stupid not to.” His eyes had turned back to Mark, gaze burning into his skin.

It’s not like he didn’t want to go, but he felt nervous for reasons even he didn’t know. “Yeah, I get it. I should go.” Mark waved his hand dismissively at Jinyoung, taking another sip from the iced Americano. For being two of his closest friends, Jinyoung and Youngjae were useless when he needed someone to just sit and blindly agree with whatever he said. They always had to share their opinions.

They finished up their meals, Youngjae not-so-sneakily stealing a few of Jinyoung’s uneaten fries and earning a glare or two in the process, and headed off to their next classes. Before Mark could get too far away, Jinyoung muttered a quick promise (or threat, depending on whose perspective you were looking at it from) that they’d continue their conversation over text before walking the opposite way.

As Mark meandered to the building next door and settled into his seat, trying his best to clear his head so he could focus entirely for his Performance Tech class, his phone buzzed in his pocket. For a second, he ignored the vibration. It was probably just Jinyoung, desperate to try and get another rise out of Mark while he still could. But there was still over fifteen minutes until class started and, like every other kid his age, Mark got bored quickly. 

Pulling out his phone, he casually unlocked it and saw that, instead of a new text waiting for him, there was a Kakao notification.

_ 852Puppy: I can’t wait to see you. _

  
  
  


Jaebum could barely suppress his laughter as Jackson filled him in on everything from the past 18 hours. They’d decided to meet up at a big park near campus, since Jaebum only had 45 minutes between classes but still desperately wanted to hear how Jackson had managed to sweep Mark off his feet. He might not look it, but Jaebum had a bit of a hopeless romantic side to him. That and he wanted to see if he could take any of Jackson’s ideas for future dates with Jinyoung. He was always searching for a little inspiration to keep things new. “So you slept on our shitty ass couch, then made him breakfast and created some made up excuse to take him on a date? You’re even sappier than I thought.” The scowl that spread across Jackson’s face almost made Jaebum lose his composure. Almost.

“It’s not made up!” the idol protested. “Ven really did call me. I could’ve told him no, but…” He trailed off, suddenly focusing on the way his fingers were laced together in front of him. He might consider Jaebum a friend now, but he wasn’t about to tell him every detail that crossed through his mind, especially when it came to Mark. 

The two had been wandering along the edge of the lake for about fifteen minutes, occasionally stopping to try and skip a rock or two across the surface. “Sure he did,” Jaebum said, shrugging. It didn’t really matter to him if it was planned. The end result was still the same.

Spotting a particularly smooth stone, Jaebum scooped it up and spun it around in his fingers for a second before carefully chucking it into the water. It skimmed the surface twice before sinking to the watery depths below. “Whether you planned it or not, Mark’s excited,” he said passively.

“He is?” The half-squeal in Jackson’s voice made Jaebum smirk. It also made him lose focus, causing his searching eyes to skip over a section of rocks. He grumbled a little once he realized it, taking a few steps back to start again. “Did you forget that Jinyoung is Mark’s best friend? I know more about your boyfriend than I ever wanted to.”

Jackson tried to ignore the twinge of jealousy that flared up for a second, coaxing it back down almost immediately. Of course there would be people in Mark’s life who knew him better than Jackson did. For now. He always strived to learn at least three new things about the blonde boy the universe had paired him with every time they got to talk. Most of the time he succeeded. Sometimes he didn’t. When that happened, he had a tendency to mope around a little.

“I’m excited too,” Jackson admitted. “I’m not quite sure what’s going to happen, but I think it’ll be good. I have a feeling.”

Jaebum turned so he could clasp the idol’s shoulder with one of his hands. “He really likes you, so unless you do something insanely stupid, I doubt anything could go wrong.”

He knew the other was just trying to help, but Jackson’s gut twisted a little at the statement. After all, that was basically how their entire relationship was right now. Smooth sailing until a storm hit, and Jackson wasn’t dumb. He knew that eventually, there would be a storm.

All he could do now was sit back and pray that the skies stayed clear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! It really doesn't feel like 20 days since I've updated. That's insane. Well, I have to admit, this chapter took WAY too long to write, considering very little actually happens in it. I promise a lot is getting set up, though. I've been working through the plans for future chapters and trying to figure out how I'm going to end all this. There's still plenty more chapters, though, so don't worry.
> 
> Thanks to everyone who've left me encouraging comments or let me know how much they like the story. While I mainly write BC for my own selfish pleasure, seeing that so many of you love it too makes it all the more worthwhile.
> 
> If you ever have any questions or comments or whatever about the story, or just wanna giggle to someone about how cute Markson are (cause, believe me, I giggle about them all the time), feel free to leave a comment below, [send me a Tweet](https://twitter.com/infectiouskpop), or [send me a message on tumblr](http://infectiouskpop.tumblr.com/).


	16. Things We Never Knew

Even from inside the music building, you could hear the crowd outside. The dull roar of dozens of voices all gathered together was odd, to be sure. The building was on the edge of campus, and no one really considered it to be the social hot spot, to say the least. So to see people whispering and gravitating toward the nearest window to see what was going on was an entirely new experience in this neck of the metaphorical woods.

Moving down the hall toward the main doors, Mark paused next to an empty stretch of wall to check his phone. Jackson hadn’t messaged him the whole time he was in class, which ended up distracting Mark even more than if they’d messaged each other the entire time. Even as he looked at his phone now, a good five minutes after class ended, there was still nothing waiting for him. Sighing, he shoved the phone back into his pocket and continued out of the building.

A wall of sound hit him as he opened the door, almost making him stumble backward. The small thrum of distant voices suddenly grew to a barrage of giggles and short bursts of screaming. The school’s soundproofing really was top notch, that was for sure. Mark squinted as he looked up into the sunny afternoon to see what was going on. A group of girls was crowded around a tree just across from the entrance, pushing and shoving each other to get closer to whatever was at the base of it. Mark looked a little harder, noticing a fluff of familiar blonde hair peeking out from the center of the crowd. Smirking, he moved down to sit at the bottom of the stairs, watching the girls desperately vie for Jackson’s attention. For the first time, a twinge of pride streamed through him. None of those girls knew how futile their attempts were, that Jackson was already dedicated to someone else. To him.

It still seemed a little weird to Mark, feeling so deeply for someone he’d only spent a few days with. He always heard how things felt different with your soulmate, but he had never quite believed it. Even when Jinyoung wouldn’t shut up about how special Jaebum was when they’d first met, Mark always thought it was just his best friend being dramatic. He had a tendency to do that. But now, Mark felt it. He couldn’t describe the draw he had toward Jackson, but every time he saw the younger, he just wanted to be near him.

The girls’ persistence to talk and take a picture with Jackson surprised Mark. Most of them giggled and left when they got whatever they wanted, a hug or an autograph, but a few stuck around. When the crowd thinned enough for Mark to finally see Jackson, he felt his heart stutter a little. He was just wearing a graphic tee and fitted jeans, all in black, but he looked like he’d popped right out of a magazine. He wasn’t just your average, everyday guy. He took Mark’s breath away.

Almost half an hour passed before all of the girls had finally disappeared, leaving Jackson to finally approach Mark, who was now aimlessly tapping away at a game on his phone. “Hey,” he muttered, taking a seat next to him. “Sorry. If I would’ve known so many people would recognize me, I would’ve actually tried to hide.”

Mark chuckled, flipping off his phone to look at the other. “Seems like you’re more popular than you think.”

“Sometimes I’d rather not be,” Jackson admitted, staring off toward the tree where he’d been standing earlier. “I start to forget what it’s like to just be a normal guy sometimes. To not have fans and cameras around all the time. It’d be nice to just feel like I could walk around and no one would notice me or want to take my picture.”

“I noticed you,” Mark said, a little embarrassed as the words left his mouth. They sounded so cheesy to him, like a line from a terrible romantic comedy.

“Well, technically you ran into me,” Jackson teased. “It’s kind of hard not to notice someone when you physically hit them.” Trying his best to play his growing embarrassment off as joking annoyance, Mark rolled his eyes a little and looked away, hiding his heat-stained cheeks from Jackson’s gaze. “I’m glad you did, though,” Jackson continued. “Run into me, I mean.”

A small smile spread across Mark’s face and he nodded, head still turned away. “I’m glad, too.”

Comfortable silence fell between them for a minute before Jackson let out an audible gasp. “I didn’t know those girls were around for that long! We’re gonna be late. Come on, let’s go!” And without another second to spare, Jackson grabbed Mark’s hand and tugged the older to his feet, dragging him along behind him. Mark wondered how Jackson even knew where the garage was in the first place, but shrugged it off and followed along. Their fingers unconsciously laced together as they rushed toward the parking garage waiting just off campus.

The steel gray Audi was parked carefully on the second-highest level, away from the jam-packed lower levels in order to avoid scratches and dings left by careless students ramming their door into the side of the neighboring cars. Not to mention, with barely any other cars on the level, the security cameras could easily catch anyone who tried to steal it. Mark hadn’t exactly paid for the car himself, but he still protected it like he had. Money, no matter how easily he’d come by it throughout his life, was never something he took for granted. Especially after meeting Jinyoung and Youngjae and Jaebum, all struggling transfer students just trying to make ends meet half the time.

Jackson didn’t even bat an eye as he climbed into the passenger seat. The older blinked for a second, uncertain of what to say. Usually he had to listen to people verbally drool over his car when they saw it for the first time, coming up with some story where Mark was some heir to a fortune. It was the only way people thought he could afford to drive around a car like that. Having someone new sit next to him without saying anything at all about it felt strange and foreign to him. More than anything, it felt nice.

“So, uh,” Jackson muttered after he buckled his seatbelt, “I guess I should tell you some more about my friend.”

Mark snapped out of his stupefied trance, shaking his head a little before pushing the ignition button. “Maybe where we’re going first?” he suggested, tapping a few things on the touchscreen to pull up the navigation. Mumbling a quick “oh yeah,” Jackson pulled up the address on his phone, letting Mark quickly type it in. Luckily, it was only about ten minutes away. Once they’d pulled out of the garage and were on their way, Jackson continued.

“Okay, so his name is JG. He used to be a pretty in-demand photographer for like Asian fashion magazines and stuff, but last year he move back to America to do his own thing.” He paused for a moment to let out an exasperated sigh. “To be honest, I don’t really know what he does anymore. But he was always really chill and he always took the best photos of me, so I couldn’t really say no when he asked me to stop by.”

Mark nodded as he drove, trying to create some sort of mental image of this guy in his head. “I get it,” he said. “Being nice to those who’ve been nice to you is only human. Besides, it’ll be interesting to see you working.” That was something Mark had been secretly thinking about all day. Watching Jackson switch from pose to pose, carefree in front of a camera, intrigued him. All of his pictures seemed so effortlessly perfect, it seemed unreal. Maybe it would all seem a little less perfect in person.

“I think you’ll get along well with him,” Jackson added. “He’s kind of outgoing, but he knows exactly how to talk to anyone. His people skills are out of this world, really.”

A part of Mark’s stomach knotted up a little as the younger continued, telling stories about how their last photoshoots had gone and how easy they’d been because JG knew just the right thing to say to get Jackson to do what he wanted. He knew it was jealousy that he felt. It was the same thing he’d felt toward Youjin months ago, except a little less intense now because Jackson was here with him.

Once they’d pulled up along the curb outside a new, industrial-style building, Jackson grabbed hold of Mark’s hand, squeezing it for a second. “Hey, you okay?” he asked. His doe-eyed gaze locked onto the older.

Mark took a long, deep breath before nodding. He’d hoped that Jackson hadn’t noticed his little space out session. “Yeah, I just…” he trailed off. He wanted some other way to explain to Jackson what he was feeling without using the word ‘jealous’. “I just hope you remember our moments as nicely as you remember those.” He wasn’t sure if that really even made sense, but the sudden squeeze Jackson gave his hand told him it did.

“Our time together is always memorable,” he reassured. “No, it’s more than memorable. It’s unforgettable.”

The older rolled his eyes at the cheesy line, moving his hand so he could shove Jackson’s shoulder playfully. “Come on,” he laughed. “You’re already late.”

While the outside of the building looked unimpressive, the inside made them both pause for a moment, taking in the sight. The entrance was an empty platform overlooking the huge expanse of studio space down below. Almost the entire area was covered in white, the concrete floor painted to match the huge cloth that covered an entire wall. It was a studio photographer’s paradise.

“Yah!” a voice called from down below. “It’s about time you showed up!” They both glanced down to see a tall man standing just in view below them, casually resting the camera in his hand on his shoulder. Jackson smiled and rushed to head down to the main level, pulling Mark along behind him. The let go of each other halfway down the flight of stairs, allowing the older to slow down to a stop at the bottom while Jackson rushed over to greet the photographer.

He was younger than Mark had expected, only a few years older than them at most. The pairing of a white V-neck, fitted dark wash jeans and a pair of Converse made him look youthful and energetic, like he was about to go ride away on his motorcycle to a tasting at a craft brewery or something.

Mark watched the two greet each other, going from a polite handshake to a half-hug like old friends. They both seemed so casual and comfortable around each other, despite how unnaturally attractive they both looked. Mark felt like he was stuck in some commercial where everything was planned and meticulously placed to make the perfect picture.

Suddenly feeling a little uncomfortable, he turned and glanced at the space underneath the entryway platform. A small but fully-functional kitchen was nestled into the corner, the bright orange wall behind it providing the only color in the whole building. A few other people were slumped in a collection of overstuffed couches and large, comfortable chairs, whispering casually to each other as they glanced at Jackson.

“Mark!” Jackson called. The older snapped his attention back to the idol, who was waving him over. Without a second thought, Mark walked over to stand next to Jackson, relaxing a little when the younger immediately grabbed his hand. “Mark, this is JG,” he introduced, motioning to the photographer. As Mark looked to give the man a polite nod, he noticed something dark under his left eye. Focusing on it more, he froze. A jagged scar trailed from the bridge of his nose all the way under his eye to the other end.

He hadn’t even thought to worry about whether or not he was being rude for staring before the man laughed and turned his face a little so Mark could see it better. “I’m guessing Jackson didn’t say anything about this, huh?” The man’s voice was deep and smooth, like one you’d hear in a movie and instantly envy. Mark looked away, heat rushing to his face once he realized what he’d been doing.

“Shit, I completely forgot,” Jackson sighed. “That’s totally my bad.” But JG just laughed, pushing his jet black locks off his forehead so they could see the scar more clearly. Seeing it more just made Mark more curious as to how he got it, but he didn’t want to be any more rude than he already had been.

After a minute, JG dropped his hair again and turned his eyes back to Jackson. “Wardrobe is back in that closed off area back there. The stylists are waiting for you.” The idol just nodded, giving Mark’s hand a tight squeeze before letting go and heading to the walled-off room in the corner. “You’re more than welcome to hang out with the rest of the guys, if you’d like,” JG continued, his dark eyes now fixed on Mark. “Most of them will be helping me while I shoot, anyway. My chef, Rebecca, can make any snack you want, so don’t hesitate to ask her for whatever. If there’s anything I can do to make the whole time here more comfortable, let me know.”

With a quick, light smile, the man turned and walked further into the shooting area, motioning for the rest of his staff to join him. Still a little uncertain of what exactly he should do, Mark moved over to the bar separating the kitchen from the sitting area. The woman moving from the stove to the sink to the oven shot him a brief smile and pulled a plate out of the fridge, setting it down next to him. It was filled with various flavored rice cakes, each one just as appealing and beautiful as the last.

He picked up a purple one, not even taking a second to inspect it before biting off half. The chewy lavender-infused rice cake mixed with the filling made Mark’s eyes flutter closed in enjoyment. He hadn’t tried many rice cakes before, but this one was by far the best he’d ever had. “Good?” the woman asked, glancing at him over her shoulder. He just nodded, mouth full with the other half which he’d stuffed in almost immediately after tasting the first bite. When the woman turned back to whatever she was cooking now, Mark turned in his seat and watched the staff shuffle around on the other side of the room.

The amount of work that went into setting up for such a seemingly simple photoshoot amazed him. He watched as the entire crew shuffled around, all of them engrossed in their own responsibilities. With the lights set up, bright test flashes blinded anyone who was looking in that area. A few others worked on sweeping the floor and checking for any dirty spots, quickly wiping them up when they found one.

“Crazy, huh?” Jackson’s voice was so close, it made Mark jump a little. He’d been so absorbed in the hustle and bustle of the crew that he hadn’t even noticed the younger slip into the stool next to him. He turned, eyes still a little wide from shock. Between the royal blue jacket and the way his hair fell in just the right way, Jackson looked even more flawless than usual.

“Uhh I…” Mark breathed, eyes continuing to run up and down Jackson’s body. “Yeah. Crazy.” The younger laughed a little as he watched Mark’s tongue unconsciously dart out to wet his lips. He turned a little, doing his best, most obvious pose, and waited to see how long it took Mark to notice. It wasn’t long, but when the older did notice, his cheeks flared up immediately, making Jackson laugh even harder.

“It looks okay, then? Not too weird?” he asked. He stood up and gave a little spin, letting Mark see every angle of the outfit before he could say anything. But Mark just shook his head. “You look great,” he muttered, voice almost inaudible under the busy sounds of the studio in action. Being so forward with his affection felt a little strange, but in a good way, like some of the butterflies that had been inhabiting his stomach flew out with his words.

Suddenly, Jackson rushed forward, scooping up Mark’s food-coated hands in his. “You don’t have to watch me, you know that right?” he asked. “I mean, it might be boring, so I don’t want you to feel pressured or anything. You just being here is enough.”

“Jackson,” JG called, “we’re ready.” Giving Mark’s hands one last squeeze, the younger smiled and turned, heading into the middle of the semicircle of staff and equipment.

It didn’t really matter whether or not Mark wanted to watch his soulmate working anyway. All the people surrounding him made it almost impossible to see him from where he was sitting. At first, it didn’t bother him too much. He snacked on a few more rice cakes, trying to focus on savoring the flavor instead of the annoyance building up inside of him. He couldn’t ignore it for long, though. He got up and wandered over to the crowd after a few minutes, trying to find someplace to stand where he could still see but would be out of the way. He noticed the preview monitor and wandered over to it, standing behind a row of mostly-empty chairs to watch the pictures flash by on the screen.

Every pose that Jackson shifted into was new and fresh, so unique from the last. His face never showed that he was thinking of his next move. His expression always matched what his body was doing perfectly, never looking awkward or out of place. He was a professional, that was for sure. Mark wondered how many times he practiced everything in order to do it so effortlessly. It didn’t help that every shot was framed so masterfully. As much as Mark didn’t want to admit it, JG was a truly gifted photographer. Even before processing, every shot could easily just get put in a high-end gallery for fancy, well-off business people to enjoy.

“Okay, that’s it for this one,” JG announced after taking a few particularly stunning shots. “Jackson, you can go get changed for the next set.” Bowing politely to the staff first, Jackson walked back into the stylists’ den, glancing toward where Mark had been sitting before on his way back. The rest of the staff started moving around, quietly adjusting for whatever segment came next. Watching them work was like watching a swarm of bees, all their minds connected by one common goal.

“Can I talk to you for a second?” JG’s voice made Mark shiver in surprise. That was the second time in the last hour that someone had managed to walk up to him without him noticing. He was so spacey in such a foreign environment. He nodded quickly as JG wrapped an arm around his shoulder, leading him off away from the group. They stopped a few feet away, just out of earshot, and JG dropped his arm back to his side. “I wanted to ask you if you’d consider letting me take some pictures of you with Jackson.”

If there was one thing the photographer didn’t do, it was beat around the bush. Mark’s jaw dropped open a little. His gut reaction was to decline, to say that JG was truly insane. Why would he even think of asking something as ridiculous as that. But then he thought about Jackson, about what it would be like to have even just one picture of the two of them that was as beautiful as the ones he just took. “I, uh…” he stammered, still a little overwhelmed by the request.

“I know it seems sudden,” JG continued, “but I saw the way that Jackson looked at you, that you looked at each other, and I wanted to capture that emotion. If you let me, that is.”

Red dusted Mark’s cheeks, more than a little embarrassed that they’d been so obvious. They were supposed to be hiding their situation from the public eye, not flaunting it around for all to see. Not that he was upset by the change. He liked being able to look at Jackson however he wanted, to hold his hand even when others were around. This photoshoot would be a chance to immortalize this moment in their lives, no emotions hidden. “Sure,” Mark said. “Okay.” JG smiled, not nearly as surprised as Mark had hoped, and gestured off toward the stylists’ room. Understanding what he meant, Mark turned and walked away.

Jackson finished with the stylists first, barely needing any time to get his makeup fixed and hair slicked into its new, sleek style. Mark couldn’t help but smile as he gave the younger a quick once-over in the mirror. The thin, tight black sweater the stylists dressed him in paired with plain black fitted jeans showcased all the wonderful things about his body without drawing any attention to the clothes themselves. It was all about Jackson. The idol walked out of the room before Mark could get a good look, leaving him to wait until the ladies currently drying his soaking wet hair finished with him.

It took almost a half an hour for the stylists to dress Mark, do his hair and apply his makeup. When he finally walked out of the room, Jackson was back to standing in the middle of a now larger semicircle of staff, talking animatedly with JG. As much as he wanted to just stay where he was, watching Jackson from afar, he already felt bad for making them wait for him so long already. He walked over to the two, not noticing as some of the staff started to whisper among themselves when they saw him, and smiled lightly as Jackson turned to look at him.

“Sorry I made you wait,” he muttered as he slowed to a stop next to the younger. JG just smiled, glancing between him and Jackson. It was one of those all-knowing smirks that Mark would suddenly be very self-conscious about if it weren’t for the fact that his body still got a little numb every time he was close to the younger.

“Don’t worry,” Jackson said, immediately lacing their fingers together again. “JG owns the building, so there’s no time limit or anything.”

“This will be worth the wait,” JG assured. “I can tell.” Mark felt a blush rise up his ears and onto his cheeks, making him divert his gaze to the ground between them.

“So, what’s the plan, JG?” Jackson asked. “What do you need us to do?”

Mark glanced up just in time to see JG shoot him a cunning look before turning back to Jackson. “Just be yourselves. Try not to pay any attention to us.” He motioned to the collection of staff behind him. “In fact, I’ll give them a break. They won’t be necessary right now. Just stay in the area and do whatever you’d like.”

Without another word, JG turned and headed back toward the crowd of murmuring staff. Mark tightened his grip a little, holding on to the one person that was keeping him from bolting out the door. The cameras, the huge studio lights, the empty white background. It all suddenly hit him like a train and he was panicking.

“Hey,” Jackson breathed, his mouth now just inches away from Mark’s ear. When he’d gotten so close, the older wasn’t sure. “It’s alright. It’s just us, remember? Me and you.”

“I…” Mark started, craning his head to the side to try and see the idol’s face. “I’ve never done something like this before. I’m gonna mess it all up.”

Jackson tutted dismissively, shifting so that he stood in front of Mark. His free hand moved up to the side of Mark’s neck, his thumb grazing over his cheek. “How could someone as stunning as you mess up a photo shoot?” he muttered, gaze darting all over Mark’s face. The older would’ve tried to think of possible ways he could, in fact, mess it up, but the feeling of Jackson touching his face made his mind go fuzzy. He stepped forward, pulling his hand free so he could wrap his arms around Jackson. His face nuzzled into Jackson’s neck, savoring his warmth.

It only took Jackson a moment to realize what had happened before he wrapped his arms around Mark, resting his cheek on top of the older’s effortlessly styled dirty blonde locks. The sticky hairspray clung to Jackson’s cheek, but he didn’t mind, only thinking about how great it felt to have the boy he couldn’t stop thinking about in his arms.

The distant clicking sound of a camera shutter made Mark tense a little, suddenly reminded that they were being watched. Jackson started to rub calming circles between his shoulder blades, but the new tension didn’t disappear. When Jackson lifted his head from Mark’s, the older pulled back just enough to look at the other, who was watching him intently. He leaned forward, planting a slow, gentle kiss on Mark’s forehead and whispered, “You and me. That’s all that matters.”

A few deep breaths and a terrible joke about a baby octopus walking into a bar later, Mark had calmed back down again. Jackson had decided it’d be better if they faced away from everyone else, instead staring at the blank wall. They sat down, shifting into an easy conversation about Mark’s classes and why he’d chosen to study sound engineering, of all things. As they talked, they inched closer to each other, slowly tangling their bodies together in an oddly comfortable position. Mark’s hand that wasn’t propping him up had found it’s way into Jackson’s hair. He unconsciously ran his fingers through the silky strands, failing to even recognize that the styled updo happened without the use of gel or hairspray.

“Do you ever think we’ll get to be together?” Mark asked after a lull in the conversation. “I mean like really be together. Will we ever get to hold hands while we go shopping in Shanghai or something?” He hadn’t really meant to ask it out loud, but the question had plagued his thoughts for longer than he cared to admit.

Jackson answered without hesitation. “Yes.”

“When?” Mark pressed. Suddenly, he wanted to know Jackson’s plan. He wanted to know what they were waiting for. He wanted to know if he could last that long without going a little crazy.

The younger sat up from where he was lounging in Mark’s lap. “I don’t know,” he admitted, turning just enough so that he could look at Mark without straining his neck. “I don’t have a written out plan or anything. I just want to make sure the others don’t get affected by something I do. But if you told me right now that you needed me to go on my Instagram and declare my love to the whole world, I would.”

“That’s just ridiculous,” Mark mumbled, training his eyes on the spot in his lap where the other’s head used to be.

Jackson moved forward, placing a hand on the ground next to either side of Mark’s hip. He leaned in close enough to where their face were only a few inches apart, dipping his face into Mark’s line of sight. “It is,” he admitted when their eyes finally connected, “but I’d still do it. For you.”

“Aww, come on,” Mark sighed, a blush just barely dusting his ear. “You’re being even sappier than usual.”

A smirk crept across across the idol’s lips, his face still hovering just in front of Mark’s, waiting expectantly. “You like it,” he whispered, breath ghosting over Mark’s lips. There wasn’t even a hint of a question in his voice. He was so certain that his charm was irresistible. Not that Mark could argue. As much as he hated to admit it out loud, Jackson’s cheesy lines that sounded like he pulled them straight from a romantic comedy made his heart skip a beat every now and then.

Completely forgetting about JG watching them and the lights and the staff, Mark did the one thing he knew would shut Jackson up, at least for a little while. Bridging the tiny gap between them, he captured the younger’s lips in his. He smirked as Jackson inhaled, savoring the fact that he’d caught the idol off guard. He didn’t stay surprised for too long, though, leaning into the kiss only a few seconds later.

Things started to get a little more heated as Jackson sucked Mark’s lower lip between his teeth, nibbling a little on the sensitive inside. Stifling a tiny moan that surfaced in the back of his throat, the older pulled back just enough to get his lip back. “Jackson,” he breathed. Half of him wanted more, to just give in completely and let them go however far they got naturally, because kissing Jackson was the best thing he’d ever experienced. The other half of him, however, remembered that they weren’t alone, that people were watching, and he didn’t know how he felt about others watching them. It wasn’t like they were going to do anything explicit or anything, but still, making out with a bunch of strangers standing around watch wasn’t exactly his thing.

The younger seemed to understand, despite the hungry look glimmering in his eyes. Moving his lip next to Mark’s ear, he whispered, “Later. I won’t forget.”   
A shiver ran down the older’s spine at the promise and he smirked. “Good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, everyone! Apologies for taking so long to update, but life has a way of just appearing out of nowhere and saying "NO WRITING TODAY!". Not to mention the fact that this chapter is longer that what I usually write and, well, my muse was not to happy about that, we'll say. Oh, and I've been doing a lot of spazzing about the impending comeback. Who's ready to die in a matter of hours? I AM! Anyway, thank you all for being so loving and patient in the meantime. Trust me, I know how frustrating it can be to wait for a fic update, but hopefully this update is worth it!
> 
> I know I mentioned last chapter that I was trying to figure out how all of this was going to end. Well, I've definitely decided now. It's just a matter of getting there. I'm really excited (and slightly terrified) about what you all will think of the ending, but I guess we'll find out when we get there.
> 
> Your comments are all super appreciated and I do my best to respond to every single one. As always, you can also follow me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/infectiouskpop) for updates and spazzing.


	17. Just For A Day

Jackson was used to waking up in hotel rooms. Between filmings and tours with Titan, he spent more time sleeping in ultra-white linens than he ever wanted to. But this time was different. The sun was already high in the sky. His right arm was completely numb all the way up to his shoulder. There was another warm body curled into his side. Jackson shifted his head just enough to see the top of a bunch of dirty blonde locks resting in the crook of his shoulder. He could feel the slow, calm breaths on his chest as the boy continued to sleep.

Trying to burn everything into his memory for later, Jackson shimmied little by little to the side, trying to readjust just enough to see the older’s face. No doubt he looked peaceful and handsome as ever when he slept, but Jackson wanted to see it for himself. Just as he got a glimpse, Mark stirred a little. A yawn escaped his lips as his whole body stretched lazily. Jackson waited a minute to see if the boy would drift off to sleep again, but slowly his eyes slid open just a crack.

“Good morning,” Jackson muttered. A warm feeling spread through his chest as he watched Mark slowly wake up, taking in his surroundings before smiling up at the younger.

“Mmmm… Morning,” the older finally purred back, closing his eyes and nuzzling back into Jackson’s side. “What time is it?” Jackson glanced over at the bedside table, glad his phone was there and within reach, even though he didn’t remember even taking it out of his jeans the night before. Things had gotten heated so fast, there hadn’t really been time to think in the first place.

“Almost 9:30,” he replied. It felt later, though anything after 7 am was already later than usual for him. He wouldn’t have minded lounging around in bed for a few more hours, so long as Mark was right next to him. But the other seemed to have a different idea, suddenly jolting up and jumping out of the bed.

“It’s your last day here,” he said. “There’s so much to do and we slept in.” He picked up his boxer briefs from where Jackson had cast them aside the night before and slipped them on, trying not to blush as his brain replayed everything that happened the night before. They hadn’t been loud or anything, but Mark was still glad the rooms on either side of Jackson’s were empty. He enjoyed knowing they had complete privacy for their first time. 

A whine escaped Jackson’s lips when he noticed the older putting his clothes back on. “Why can’t we just stay here and relax?” he asked. He flipped onto his stomach, stretching across the bed to grab Mark’s wrist. When the other glanced down at him, Jackson put on his biggest puppy eye face, even jutting out his bottom lip in an exaggerated pout. Mark giggled, muttering a quick “Cute” in Mandarin before sitting down on the edge of the bed. Jackson immediately shifted so that his head was resting in Mark’s lap. The older’s hand found it’s way to the back of Jackson’s neck, rubbing small, calming circles into the skin.

“What do you want to do today?” Mark asked, gazing calmly at the back of the younger’s head.

“You’re the one who said we had lots to do,” Jackson teased, pinching Mark’s thigh. “I thought you had a plan or something.”

Mark sighed. “I just want to do things,” he said. “Act like we don’t live on opposite sides of the world, at least just for a day.” His hand paused, fingers still resting at the back of Jackson’s neck. Saying his thoughts out loud just reminded him that they had just a little more than 24 hours together before they’d go back to being thousands of miles away. Again.

Noticing the older had drifted into his thoughts, Jackson sat up. “Hey,” he said, gently grabbing Mark’s face and turning it to face him. “Don’t think about tomorrow. Just think about today. We’re here, together, right now. So what do you wanna do?”

Once he’d snapped back to reality, Mark smiled and nodded ever so slightly. Jackson was right. He shouldn’t be focusing on their inevitable split, but on the time they still had together. “Uhm,” he muttered, scanning his brain. There had been so many things he wanted to do with the idol, but now that he had the chance, he couldn’t think of a single one.

Jackson smirked. “How about we start with some breakfast?” he said. Mark nodded, still a little lost in his thoughts. “Room service or go out?” the younger urged, hoping to pull the older out of his thoughts completely. Mark blinked a few times, processing the question for a minute. “Let’s go out,” he said. “I know a cafe that has great breakfast. I don’t think you’ll get recognized there.”

“Sounds perfect,” Jackson said, smile shining in the morning sunlight. “But there’s one thing I want from you first.” Mark turned to look at him, eyebrow lifted questioningly. Jackson grabbed hold of his arm, pulling him just hard enough to make their lips meet again. The kiss wasn’t as intense and needy as their kisses had been the night before. There was no sexually-ignited fire blazing in their stomachs this time. Only butterflies and spectacular fireworks. The kiss oozed with a calm, thoughtful passion that left both their hearts fluttering. Despite all the less-than-pure things that went down in that room at night, their shy, nervous demeanors returned with the sun.

Breakfast almost went without interruption. Only one girl came up asking Jackson for a picture and, fortunately, she seemed like one of his calmer fans. Nothing like the girls from campus, screaming and circling around him like vultures around a carcass. Jackson asked the girl to wait to post the photo until they’d left, which she agreed to. But even then, neither of the boys really felt like sticking around any longer.

The day passed quickly. Between going shopping just to dress each other up in ridiculous outfits, to taking a long walk on the shore, talking about everything from their favorite foods to their futures, the two grew inexplicably closer in a matter of a few hours.

“I used to think that maybe I didn’t have a soulmate,” Mark admitted, sitting on the edge of a small cliff overlooking the lake. “Either that or maybe you’d died before I had the chance to meet you. I hated you for a while. Or, the thought of you, at least. I hated that you could just take away my chance to see color.

“I’m sorry for thinking like that, though, now that I’ve met you. I didn’t even know who you were.” He paused, taking a deep breath of the misty air. “The weird thing is, I don’t even notice the colors half the time now that I can see them.”

Jackson scooted a little closer, wrapping an arm around him and squeezing tight. “I don’t think I realized it at the time,” Jackson said, “but I threw myself into training and then my work because I didn’t want to think about the idea of soulmates. I didn’t believe that there was only one person in the whole world that could truly complete someone else. What if I didn’t like my soulmate? What if I just got stuck with them as some cruel joke the world decided to play? It all felt rigged and unfair and I didn’t like it. I didn’t like being told what to do. Honestly, I didn’t even care about seeing all the colors. I lived just fine without them.”

He squeezed Mark into his side again, this time waiting as the older leaned his head over to rest on Jackson’s shoulder. “I don’t think I ever believed any of it until I met you,” he continued. “But then, when I saw you, I just…”

“You knew it was me,” Mark finished. It’s exactly how he’d felt the first time he saw Jackson. There was really no way to explain it. It was like his entire being just suddenly knew that he’d met his soulmate.

“I have to admit, I was a little worried at first,” Jackson said. “I’d heard some first meeting stories from my friends and the staff, and none of them ever said they were so certain of their match when they first saw them.” He let his arm drop to his side, causing Mark to lift his head back up and turn to face the younger. “I was afraid that maybe something was wrong with me. That maybe I’d started feeling things just because you were beautiful.”

“Nice try,” Mark laughed. “I had just gotten off a place after a helluh long flight. I wasn’t beautiful.”

“To me, you were,” Jackson said, adding a nonchalant shrug. “You always are.”

Mark’s long, slender fingers started fiddling with the gold ring on his left pinky. It had become a nervous habit ever since he came back, messing with it every time he was unsure of what to say or do next.

“We’ve been together for more than a day and I didn’t even notice you were wearing that,” Jackson muttered. “I must have been too distracted by your pretty face.”

Mark smacked the laughing younger’s shoulder, trying to hide the smile creeping on his face. “I wear it every day,” he said. “I wear the bracelet sometimes, too. But not often. So people don’t suspect anything.” The younger’s face dropped a little hearing that he even thought about how something as simple as a piece of jewelry could impact them. Jackson wished Mark didn’t have to worry about things like that. He wished that Mark didn’t get watched and followed just because they’d been seen together a couple of times. Of course, those were all fantasies. Wishes almost never came true, especially when it came to being famous with a private life. 

“I’m sorry,” Jackson muttered. “I wish you didn’t have to worry about all that.”

The older sighed, leaning into the idol again. “We talked about this. It’s fine. I really don’t mind.”

“Yeah, I know,” Jackson said. “Sometimes I just wish that we didn’t have to go through all of this. That we didn’t have to worry about who saw us or what they thought. It makes me wonder what it would’ve been like if I wasn’t an idol. Would life be easier then?”

Scooping up Jackson’s hand and lacing their fingers together, Mark let his head fall onto the younger’s shoulder. “But you like what you do,” he said. “I’ve always admired that about you. You’re doing what you love, no matter how difficult or shitty it may get at times. You work through it.”

“Doesn’t stop me from wondering,” Jackson said, resting his cheek on the top of Mark’s head. “Anyway, it’ll all come to an end someday, anyway. Yugyeom has to go off and do his military service eventually. Who knows if we’ll survive after that. I guess I’ll see what it’s like then.”

Hearing such uncertainty and negativity always made Mark squirm a little. It wasn’t that he hadn’t heard this side of the boy before. Jackson was actually much more thoughtful than his public-facing personality suggested. A lot of their deeper conversations showed Mark just how much the younger worried. He considered everything when it came to any big decision in his life.

“Let’s get going,” Mark suggested after a few silent moments passed. “We’ve still gotta stop by my apartment and I don’t want you getting all tired yet. There’s still one more night of just us and your hotel room…” He let his words trail off, biting his bottom lip as he lifted his head and grinned at the other.

“I’ve got a 14-hour flight to sleep on,” Jackson whispered. “I won’t be taking so much as a nap tonight, if I have anything to say about it.” He grinned, leaning in to kiss Mark, immediately pulling the older’s slightly-abused lower lip between his own teeth to suck on lightly. A small moan bubbled up from Mark’s throat as he leaned in, pushing back against Jackson’s lips. But before the idol could do anything else, Mark pulled away and scooted around, quickly standing up. He brushed the grass and dirt off the back of his pants before holding a hand out for a shocked-looking Jackson. “We need to save our energy,” he explained, a sly smirk spread across his face. Such a tease.

They held hands as they walked back to Mark’s apartment. The older needed a new set of clothes for the next day and Jackson had promised to give Jaebum details on when he was leaving so him and Jinyoung could meet them at the airport to say goodbye. But, for now, the two were just enjoying the quiet calm that fell over the streets at night. They were enjoying the fact that they could hold hands out in the open for once. Mark hummed in appreciation after a few minutes, snuggling into Jackson’s side a little more.

Feelings flew every which way for them both, savoring the closeness while dreading when it all had to end while worrying when, or even if, they’d get to see each other again. Before long, they’d made it back to Mark’s apartment building. They only let go of each other’s hands when they absolutely needed to, otherwise holding onto each other like their lives depended on it.

The two walked in to see Jinyoung curled up on the couch, head resting in Jaebum’s lap. The older was absent-mindedly running his hands through Jinyoung’s chocolate brown hair as he watched whatever anime was on TV. Sometimes Mark swore they were the most ridiculously domestic couple in existence. He might have started envying their ultra-normal lives together ever since he’d met Jackson, but he wasn’t about to admit that out loud.

“Well well, look who decided to come back,” Jaebum cooed, not even bothering to look away from the TV.

“And in the same clothes as yesterday!” Jinyoung noted a little too enthusiastically. Mark’s whole face turned a light shade of pink, more embarrassed that Jinyoung had noticed rather than what his second-day outfit implied.

“I just needed to grab some clothes before we head back to the hotel,” Mark muttered, squeezing Jackson’s hand extra tight. Jinyoung was going to try and drag him away at any moment, and the older was doing his best to silently beg for Jackson to stay with him.

As expected, Jinyoung hopped up from his spot on the couch, rushing over to grab Mark’s free hand. “I’ll help,” he said, tugging Mark toward his room. Jackson said a quick, “Have fun,” before letting go of the older’s hand. When Mark glanced back at him, eyes pleading, Jackson just winked playfully.

Mark got all but shoved into his own room, Jinyoung throwing tact out the window as he slammed the door shut behind them. “Soooo how was your date? You obviously got laid. Was it good? It had to be if you spent all day with him. Plus, someone like him has to have had lots of practice, so of course he’d be good,” the younger rambled, sitting down on the edge of Mark’s bed. The questions hit the older one after another, the next harder than the last.

“Jinyoungie,” Mark whined.

“Hey, don’t pull that shit,” Jinyoung scolded. “You made me tell you everything when Jaebum and I first got together, remember? You’ve done so much with Jackson and only told me like days later, so you owe me a real-time update.”

Mark let out an exasperated sigh, moving over to his closet to start rummaging through his clothes. “Fine,” he said, “but don’t expect me to go into any sort of detail.” Jinyoung just smirked in response, leaning back on the bed. He liked to get comfortable once he’d won an argument. The older filled him in on everything that had happened over the past 24 hours. Naturally, his best friend interrupted every now and then, probing for more details where he could, but Mark got through everything fairly easily.

About halfway through the story, Jinyoung got up and started to rummage through Mark’s closet, immediately picking out a few different options and laying them out on the bed. “It’s August. Why did you pick out a turtleneck?” Mark asked, pointing to the all-black outfit in the middle.

“You have to look chic if you’re going to be photographed with him at the airport tomorrow,” Jinyoung explained. He picked up the turtleneck to examine it further before shaking his head. “It’s a good outfit, but you’re right. It’s not time for turtlenecks yet.”

“None of these are my style,” Mark added, glancing at the other two. Sure, they were all his clothes, but he never would have put them together the way they were laid out in front of him. 

“But!” he exclaimed, turning back to the closet again. Looking at the off-the-wall combinations had made his brain spring back to life. “I just bought these not too long ago.” He pulled out a pair of dark jeans with the stretchy parts at the knee, throwing them on the bed. “And Jacks likes my collarbones, so this should be okay.” He tossed a light gray t-shirt with an extra-wide neck on top, smirking. The sight of Jackson squirming in somewhat public would be more than enough payback for having to leave again.

Mark was so lost in his own evil thought that he almost didn’t hear the high-pitch squeak that came out of Jinyoung’s mouth. “He likes your collarbones? That’s so kinky. Did he do-”

“I’m not having this conversation,” Mark interrupted, covering his ears. “Nope. Nuh uh. Not happening.”

“You’re no fun,” Jinyoung pouted. He waited quietly until Mark put away all the other clothes that the younger had pulled out before he spoke again. “Why don’t you just change now? You’ll be taking them back off again in no time and that way, you don’t have to carry anything tomorrow.”

Mark almost tossed something at Jinyoung, who was clearly up to his own devices. But he did have a point. It would be easier just to change now and not have to worry about taking anything with him. He could focus entirely on Jackson for the rest of the short time they still had together. “Alright,” he conceded. He started to pull off his shirt until he noticed that Jinyoung hadn’t moved. “Out,” he said, pointing toward the door.

“Please. You’re not even my type,” Jinyoung joked, swinging his feet back onto the floor and gliding over to the door. “Don’t forget about your hair,” he shout-whispered before he closed the door, no doubt re-gluing himself to Jaebum’s side.

It took Mark all of a few seconds to shed his old clothes, slipping into the new outfit with relative ease. The jeans were a little tight, but that’s how pants usually fit until they got stretched out and worn a little. His hair took a little longer since he was desperately trying to redo the swept-up look that the stylists had given him yesterday. After a while, he gave up, accepting the new style as it was. It wasn’t what he’d had the day before, but it still looked alright. It was just messy enough to look sexy without being too messy.

Throwing a few accessories on, including Jackson’s golden bracelet, Mark looked himself over once more before nodding and heading back into the living room. “Okay, I think I’m ready,” he breathed, trying not to focus too much on the half-shocked, half-hungry look that spread across Jackson’s face. “Did Jacks tell you everything you needed?” he asked, turning to Jaebum just to try and slow his heart rate.

“Yep, I know everything I need to,” Jaebum said, nodding curtly.

“Jacks, huh?” Jinyoung teased, shooting Mark a quick, devilish smirk before turning his attention back to Jackson’s still-frozen form. “Looks like you guys should get going. Someone won’t be staying calm for very much longer.” Jaebum tried his best to stifle his laughter, but he ended up sputtering instead.

Already feeling the heat start to creep back up his neck, Mark grabbed Jackson’s hand and started dragging him out the door. He wasn’t about to stand around and listen to them cracking jokes. Besides, every minute they spent standing around in the living room was one less minute they’d have at the hotel. A lot could happen in one minute.

“Don’t rip any of Mark’s clothes!” Jinyoung called after them. “He has to wear those to the airport tomorrow!”

Rushing out of the building and into Mark’s Audi, the two rushed back to the hotel. They both were growing more and more anxious, their hormones starting to flow through their body. Jackson’s hand had slowly crept up Mark’s thigh as the older drove, trying his best not to speed or swerve off the road. They made it all the way into the elevator before their control started to slip. Realizing that no one else was going to join them in the small, confined space of the elevator, Mark trapped Jackson in the corner, pressing their bodies together as their lips connected. Jackson clutched the back of Mark’s shirt, holding on for dear life until the ding signaling they’d reached their floor rang out.

It only took them a few more seconds of questionable self-control to get to their room. Once they were in, caution was thrown to the wind for the rest of the night.

  
  


Jackson woke up to the sound of Mark’s phone buzzing in the pocket of his jeans that had been cast aside within a matter of minutes last night. He tried his best to ignore the faint humming noise, but it persisted until it finally became too much for Jackson to handle. Carefully untangling himself from the still-sleeping older, Jackson carefully made his way over to where Mark’s jeans were and fished the phone out.

_ Jinyoung: Are you asleep or are you still fucking?  
_ _ Jinyoung: HEY! _

There were about 20 other messages that Jackson couldn’t read since he didn’t know Mark’s passcode. But he immediately forgot about his mild curiosity when he noticed the image behind the notifications. It was the second picture they had ever taken together, the one Jackson had fooled Mark into taking during their first date. Instead of looking at the camera, Jackson’s gaze was fixed on Mark. With each of them hanging onto the other, they had looked so much closer than either of them felt at the time. Jackson smiled as he remembered how adorably awkward they’d both been back then. So unsure of everything except the fact that they’d just met the person the universe matched them with. It was crazy how much things had changed in just a matter of months.

“Mmmmm…” Mark groaned, turning over to reach out. His arm felt around the empty side of the bed, trying in his half-asleep state to find the younger. “Jackson,” he whined. Not missing a moment, Jackson set the phone down on the bedside table and crawled back into bed, pulling Mark into his arms.

“Good morning,” he muttered, kissing the top of Mark’s head. The older just grumbled and yawned, nuzzling his face into Jackson’s neck. “We have to get going soon,” Jackson continued. “My flight leaves in a couple hours.”

This time, Mark’s noises were more like whines as he wrapped his arms around Jackson’s waist and held on tight. “You can’t leave yet,” he protested.

“Believe me, if I didn’t have to, I wouldn’t.” Jackson closed his eyes, letting his lips rest on Mark’s forehead. He tried to take into account every detail of that moment, from the smell of Mark’s sweat-drenched skin to the feel of the older’s lips against his neck as he protested. Like the first time they’d kissed, back in Taiwan, Jackson desperately tried to ingrain the moment into his memory so he’d never be able to forget how it felt to have Mark in his arms.

After a few minutes, Mark’s phone started to vibrate again, louder now that it was on the nightstand. Mark groaned at the noise, burying himself further between Jackson and the blankets in an attempt to drown out the sound. Jackson reached behind him, picking up the phone and holding it out to Mark. “It’s been going off for a while,” he muttered.

Mark took the phone and looked through a few messages before suddenly gasping. “Jackson!” he yelled. “You’re going to be late! Your flight leaves in an hour!” Scrambling out of bed, he started gathering his clothes from the floor, pulling them on haphazardly.

“I only need to be there like 20 minutes before they start boarding,” Jackson yawned, still lounging in bed. “We’ve got time.”

“It takes like half an hour to even drive there!” Mark replied, rushing into the bathroom to pee and quickly fix his hair before they left. “We have to go now. Get up.”

Jackson still wasn’t completely convinced that they needed to leave right away, but he got up anyway, pulling out a pair of jet black jeans, a plain black t-shirt, and some boots out of his bag before stuffing everything else in it and zipping it up. Once he’d put everything on, he glanced one last time in the mirror, running his fingers through his hair a few times before deciding it was good enough.

As they drove to the airport, Mark couldn’t help but think about how lucky it was for Jackson that it was a Sunday morning. Traffic was light since most people were in church or still in bed, making the drive closer to 20 minutes. Parking in the closest lot there was to the terminal, Mark was about to start rushing toward the check-in counters when Jackson caught his arm and pulled him back, pinning him back against the car. “We’ve still got time,” Jackson said, eyes watching the other gently. “We don’t need to rush.”

“I just don’t want you to miss your flight because of me,” Mark admitted.

“I won’t miss it,” Jackson promised. “But I’m not going to give up a single minute that I can spend here with you right now.

Mark swallowed, feeling his emotions catch up to him. He wasn’t going to cry, but his throat was still closing up. “I don’t want to say goodbye,” he whispered, fixing his eyes on Jackson’s chest. “It’s too soon.”

“Who said it was goodbye?” Jackson said. “Remember what I told you last time? In Taiwan?” Mark thought for a moment before nodding. “I told you I’d see you soon,” the idol continued. “Three months wasn’t exactly as soon as I would have liked, but I’m still here, aren’t I?” Mark nodded again, finally looking back up to meet Jackson’s gaze. “We’ll see each other again soon. I promise.”

“I know,” Mark sighed. “I believe you. I still don’t like this, though.”

“It’s the worst,” Jackson agreed. They both leaned forward, lips meeting in the middle for a soft, calm kiss before breaking apart again. “Now where are Jaebum and Jinyoung?” Jackson asked. “You should go first and meet up with them, then I’ll meet up with you guys after I check in.”

Even for the few minutes they were apart, Mark felt the pain of separation start to set in again. He found his roommates, greeting them briefly before glancing around the bustling airport. One of the signs caught his attention, glowing bright in a new color that Mark hadn’t remembered seeing before.

“Hey, what color is that United sign?” Mark asked, interrupting whatever the two had been chatting about. They glanced at each other before Jinyoung smiled and said, “It’s blue.” Mark nodded, looking back at the sign. Blue. That made five colors now. Five reminders of how much he loved Jackson that would follow him everywhere.

When the younger eventually found them, he was already a little more tense, his eyes darting around every now and then. “Hey guys,” he greeted quietly, smiling a little. “I already saw a couple girls with cameras, so unfortunately, I can’t stick around too long. I don’t want them spreading pictures of you guys if I can help it.”

“We’ve already had our pictures spread around when Mark came back from Taiwan, remember?” Jinyoung said. “They’ve seen us before.”

“Yes, but never with me,” Jackson argued. “It’ll get more intense if they see me talking to you. They’ll starting digging through your social media and bombarding you with messages. Just trust me, it’s better if you stay unknown.” 

Jinyoung huffed, opening his mouth to argue some more, but Jaebum squeezed his waist lightly and shook his head. Arguing about it would just waste their brief amount of time together.

“I know I wasn’t here for long and I didn’t really see you guys a whole lot, but it was really nice to meet both of you,” Jackson said. “It’s nice to have some new friends over here, especially ones that can speak Korean.” Jaebum and Jinyoung smiled, each taking turns to give Jackson a hug before walking a few paces away to give him and Mark some privacy.

“Soon, just like you promised,” Mark said, eyes stern.

Jackson chuckled and nodded. “Swear on my life,” he said. Pulling Mark into a hug, Jackson closed his eyes and took a deep breath, mustering up the courage that he hadn’t managed to find all weekend.

“I love you,” he whispered into Mark’s ear, making sure he said it just loud enough for the older to hear. His heart was pounding in his chest, beating so fast he might’ve thought he was on the edge of a heart attack if he weren’t absolutely terrified about what had just come out of his mouth. “I know it’s lame of me to say that right when I’m leaving, but I wanted to say it in person and I kept chickening out every time I had the chance.”

“I love you too,” Mark said, a little louder, but still quiet enough so no one else would hear. Jackson almost choked on the breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding, heart rate slowing back down. He hadn’t expected Mark to say it back. Hell, he’d been afraid that the older would get freaked out by such a strong declaration after only their third time even seeing each other.

There wasn’t a worry in Jackson’s mind as he leaned forward, kissing Mark one last time before he had to leave. “I’ll message you until you have to turn your phone off,” the older said, smile huge and dazzling.

“Okay. Don’t message me while you’re driving,” Jackson warned.

Mark shrugged. “I’ll make Jaebum drive.”

The idol laughed. He wished he could kiss Mark one more time, but he wasn’t about to push his luck any more than he already had. Instead, he opted for one more tight hug, secretly kissing the top of Mark’s head, before separating and waving as he headed toward the line for security.

Even after only a few steps, the distance felt unbearable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god. This is why I don't usually write long chapters. They take FOREVER for me to finish. Unfortunately, I think a majority of the upcoming chapters will probably be on the longer side, which means they might take a while to get published. Hopefully the next series of events will kick me into high gear and make me write a little faster, but no promises.
> 
> I do already have about 1k written for chapter 22, which I wrote when I wasn't feeling particularly inspired for this chapter but still wanted to work on the story. I'm really excited for what's coming. I can't remember if I've said that before or not, but I just... ugh! I can't wait.
> 
> Anyway, I hope this fluffy monster of a chapter was enjoyable. I know some of you will probably be upset that I skipped over all the smutty scenes, but this fics rated T for a reason and that won't be changing. ;) Think of it this way, you can imagine them doing WHATEVER you want. It's like a Chose Your Own Adventure, but better.
> 
> Be sure to let me know what you thought in the comments below. I always love seeing what you guys have to say about each chapter, both good and bad, so don't feel like you can't leave a comment just because you didn't like it. Let me know what you thought so I know!
> 
> And, as always, feel free to follow me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/infectiouskpop) for random updates on my progress as well as a shit ton of other random outbursts. I never tweet spoilers. In case you were worried about that.
> 
> Oh, and P.S., I meant to mention in the notes of the last chapter that JG is actually based off of a Korean actor. So, for fun, feel free to take a guess at who it is in the comments. I promise I'll tell you if you're right. I'll even give you a hint. The scar on his face is a clue, but the actor doesn't actually have it. Good luck!


	18. Here I Am

Five months passed disturbingly quick. Between schoolwork and added shifts at the club, Mark barely had time to eat, let alone call Jackson on a regular basis. Not that the idol’s schedule was any better. He’d become a fixed cast member on a few more shows and Titan was hastily preparing for their next Asia tour. The two texted and called sporadically, taking advantage of even a few minutes of free time whenever they could.

Sometimes, things got difficult. It was inevitable, they both knew that. Their feelings and the painful distance between them made anger and jealousy and fear bubble up more often than usual. Every time, they worked through whatever argument came to the surface, but there was always a piece of uncertainty left. It came from not being able to resolve anything face-to-face. It came from not being able to hold each other, to kiss each other, to console each other after a particularly heated fight.

Long-distance was hard enough for an established coupled. For a pair that was only just starting to learn about each other, it felt impossible.

Remembering their especially intense fights was a curse that haunted Mark every time he was alone. Only the occasional text or call from Youngjae telling him about the latest game he was playing could distract him enough to momentarily forget.

Sighing after a particularly exhausting shift, Mark stepped out of the club, bag slung over his shoulder, and checked his phone. A couple new messages from a name he didn’t recognize flashed on screen.

_ Hi Mark. It’s not to creepy that I looked up your username while Jackson was asleep, right? It’s important.  
_ _ Oh, this is BamBam. _

Even after reading the messages a few times, Mark had no idea what was going on. His fingers hovered over the messages for a second, not quite sure what to say, before pulling up the keyboard and typing.

_ Oh, hi BamBam. What’s up? _

It took all his willpower to not just stare at the phone as he walked home. The club wasn’t in a sketchy part of town or anything, but it was still better to keep his attention fixed on his surroundings, and being glued to his phone like a stage 5 clinger wouldn’t help. He stuffed the device into his pocket, pledging to message Jackson immediately when he got home, and started walking.

By the time he made it back to his apartment, Mark’s body was buzzing with curiosity. His phone had vibrated several times during his after-midnight walk, each making him more anxious than the last. He dropped his bag by the door and slumped onto the couch. Not quite ready to retreat to his room just yet, he pulled out his phone and glanced through the notifications. A handful of messages from both BamBam and Jackson waited for him, as well as a text from Jinyoung with just a single winking emoji.

Mark groaned, his nose scrunching up instinctively. It had been their “FYI, I’m having sex, so don’t bother me” message for as long as he could remember. A digital version of the old fashioned tie on the door. It made them both know exactly when the other was getting some, but it had also prevented any embarrassing walk-ins so far in their friendship.

Hoping his roommates would at least be quiet tonight, Mark opened up the messaging app and skimmed through Jackson’s recap of his morning activities. Most of the time, the idol’s day-to-day schedule seemed the same, enduring grueling training until either he had somewhere else to go or was on the brink of collapsing from exhaustion. Mark asked on numerous occasions if the stress and frustration were really worth it all. The answer usually varied, depending on how tired Jackson was or how long was left until his next day off. Inevitably, though, Mark understood that Jackson really loved what he did. It was how he felt about making music. Somedays he just wanted to quit, but he always stuck with it in the end.

He typed up a quick response, detailing in much fewer words how his day of classes and drunk strangers approaching him at work had gone. He then closed out of the conversation and opened the one with BamBam.

_ So, I’m guessing you know our Korea concert is days before Jackson’s birthday? _

Mark smirked. If felt good to know secret information, especially when thousands of fans would kill to know what he did. Not that it did him any good, though. He didn’t have enough money to fly across the world, and Jackson only had enough to pay for his parents’ flights and hotel. It had been one of the several things they’d fought about recently. After several days of convincing Jackson that he really was okay missing the concert this time around, they’d finally dropped the subject completely.

_ Well, me and Yugyeom were trying to find what to give him and we thought of you!  
_ _ I mean  
_ _ We want to pay for flight and hotel so you can come.  
_ _ And you’ll have backstage access and all that stuff.  
_ __ Please O.O

Though he had no idea what the guy’s voice sounded like, Mark could almost imagine BamBam rambling the messages in real life. The two younger members were desperate to give Jackson a truly memorable gift, and they’d managed to figure out that Mark was the win-win solution.

_ Sure, _ Mark texted back.  _ I’d like that. _

Seeing Jackson perform had become a dream of Mark’s, one he didn’t tell anyone about, not even his soulmate himself. He was eternally bound to the idol, so it wasn’t like he thought he’d only have one opportunity. Missing the chance this time around hadn’t bothered him too much. But now that BamBam had offered such a simple solution, he was tingling with joy, stunted only by the fatigue crashing over his body.

Meandering into his room, Mark managed to peel off everything except his underwear before collapsing face-first onto his bed. For now, he needed to rest. But in the morning, the planning would begin.   
  
  


Usually, the venue before a show was filled with a quiet explosion of staff, all buzzing around in a way that could put any onlooker into a trance. It reminded Jackson of an ant hill, hundreds of individuals all going their own way, doing their own thing, but striving toward one common goal. Some days, he just stood in a corner and watched, amazed at how much got done in such a short period of time.

This time, he didn’t have the spare time to waste. Two figures, one small and fragile, the other slightly larger and more muscled, made their way across the empty floor where thousands of fans would be standing later that night.

“Mommy!” Jackson’s squeal echoed through the huge arena as he darted straight for the pair. In a matter of seconds, he was enveloped in the woman’s arms. His father wrapped his arms around both of them, laughing quietly as his wife and son cried in his embrace. Between his mother’s worsening health and the chaos of his own schedule, Jackson almost never had the opportunity to see them anymore.

“Did you get plenty of sleep?” his mother asked once she’d stopped crying, pulling his face into her hands. “You look well. You’ve been eating all your meals?” Jackson just nodded in reply, a few last tears sliding down his face.

“I see you’re still keeping your body in shape,” his father added. He squeezed one of Jackson’s biceps lightly, nodding at the feeling of strong muscle underneath.

Jackson smiled and nodded again. “I try to work out every day,” he explained. “Sometimes I don’t get the chance, though.”

“That’s okay,” he dad replied. “It’s good for your body to get a break every now and then.”

“I’m sad we don’t get to meet this boy you’re always telling me about,” his mother said, easily shifting the conversation. “Will we meet him soon?”

The idol tensed a little. Mark not being able to come was still a bit of a sore subject, despite the months he’d had to get over it. He just wanted everyone he loved to be around him for his birthday. That just wasn’t how it worked out this time. He kept reminding himself that there was always next year.

“Hopefully,” Jackson replied after too long of a pause. “We promised last time we were together that we’d see each other soon, but-”

“Mr. and Mrs. Wang! Hello!” Jackson’s managed walked over to them, waving as he called out to them in extremely rough Cantonese. He bowed politely to each of them before turning to Jackson, his limited Cantonese now exhausted. “The crew is almost ready to start final light and sound checks,” he said. “Why don’t you go show your parents the stage then head back.”

Jackson nodded then quickly translated for his parents. Bidding the trio a brief goodbye, the manager disappeared back into the backstage area. Jackson led his parents onto the stage, chattering away about all the exciting things they were going to do during the show. He pointed out every trapdoor and confetti cannon as they walked by it. Judging by his parents’ look of sheer amazement as they took in just how huge the venue was, Jackson wasn’t even sure they were listening to him. He kept talking anyway, glad to fill the silence.

Every now and then, when they would pause to look at something, Jackson would notice the casual way his mother leaned into his father’s side, his arm wrapped gently around her waist for support. It was something they’d done for as long as he could remember. Now that he had Mark, though, he felt a twinge of jealousy. How comfortable they were together was something that could only be attained by being around each other constantly. It was a level of comfort that he so desperately wanted to reach with Mark, but knew he wouldn’t for a while.

As they walked the last stretch back to the main stage, Jackson grabbed his mother’s hand and squeeze it lightly. Before she could ask what was wrong, Yugyeom and BamBam came running out onto the stage. They acted more like two goofy puppies than two of the most popular idols in Korea. That’s why they all got along so well, though.

Already more than familiar with Jackson’s parents, the two immediately bombarded them with hugs. Their verbal communication was limited at best, relying on broken English, but it got the job done. They managed to have brief conversations among themselves, exchanging pleasantries and talking about the venue.

“Oh, hyung,” BamBam said, looking over at Jackson. “We didn’t wanna wait to give you your present.”

“Yeah, it’s backstage,” Yugyeom added.

Never one to turn down a gift from the two younger members, especially on his birthday, Jackson smiled and took his mother’s hand once again. They followed the two bouncing idols backstage, passing up door after door until they came across one with a large “TITAN” sign plastered on it. Yugyeom and BamBam glanced at each other and giggled before opening the door, motioning for Jackson and his parents to go in first.

It only took the older a second to realize what the two had been snickering about. Sitting on the far side of the couch was Mark, nervously twiddling his thumbs. Jackson squealed, giving the other barely enough time to get to his feet before he lifted him up and spun him around. Laughter flowed out of Mark’s mouth easily, his nerves disappearing instantly. The two didn’t even say anything at first, simply holding on to each other and enjoying the feeling of being next to each other.

Once they separated, Jackson held on to Mark’d hand, their fingers lacing together naturally. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you were coming,” he whined. “You said you had a big test you needed to study for.”

“I promised BamBam I’d keep it a surprise,” Mark replied.

“Wait,  _ you’re  _ my present?” Mark nodded, his smile making Jackson’s stomach do little flips. The idol let go of his hand just for a moment, trapping the two younger members in the biggest bear hug imaginable before heading back to Mark’s side.

Jackson’s mind was a mess, blinded by surprise and joy so much that he could barely think about anything else. His wish to have his parents and the man he loved together with him on his birthday had seemed like such an unattainable dream, but now, everyone was here.

“Mommy. Daddy,” he said, waving his parents over. They moved across the room together, two halves of a perfectly harmonious whole, and stopped in front of the newly-reunited pair. “Mommy, daddy, this is Mark,” Jackson introduced, switching to Mandarin so Mark could understand. “Mark, these are my parents.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Mark said, bowing politely as he shook their hands.

“You speak Mandarin?” Jackson’s dad asked, surprise evident on his face.

Mark smiled shyly and nodded. “My parents only speak Mandarin at home, and I practice when I visit Taiwan.

Suddenly excited that they’d be able to talk to their son’s soulmate without any sort of language barrier between them, Jackson’s parents immediately warmed up to Mark. Jackson’s mother picked up his free hand, guiding him away so they could sit on the couch, leaving Jackson behind with his father. “She’s barely said a word to him, but it looks like she likes him already,” Jackson said, relief threading his voice. He watched the nervous tension in Mark’s shoulders slowly melt away as she asked him question after question.

“She liked him before she even met him,” Jackson’s father added. He smiled as he watched the two talk, glad that there was someone new around for his wife to talk to. “Anyone who makes you as happy as you have been the past few months is a great person in our books.”

A big sigh slipped out of Jackson’s lips. Looking back, him and Mark had known each other for so long now. And yet, he felt like they barely knew each other. At least, not as much as they should given how long they’d been talking. “Do you think there’s ever going to be a chance for us to actually be together?” Jackson muttered, just loud enough for his dad to hear. “I mean, do you think we’ll ever get to be normal?”

The sigh that came out of his father’s mouth made his stomach drop. While he didn’t always like it in the heat of the moment, Jackson appreciated his father’s honesty. The man never beat around the bush. He was always the first to tell Jackson his unfiltered opinion. It was a trait that Jackson wished he had sometimes. His mother’s desire for everyone to be happy clashed with the brutal honesty too strongly, though.

“You gave up your chance at a normal life the second you debuted, Jackson,” his father admitted. A strong arm fell over Jackson’s shoulders. He glanced over to see his father, eyes still fixed on his wife and Mark on the couch. “The better question is are you willing to give up everything for him?”

Jackson looked back over at Mark. Something about him made Jackson feel different every time he looked at him. Everything else in the world faded away, the world around him going back to black and white while Mark kept his beautiful sun-kissed color. Jackson felt warm and safe every time he looked at his soulmate, like nothing in the world could hurt him so long as Mark was standing next to him.

“I think I am,” Jackson replied. Because ever since he’d first laid eyes on him, Mark had become his entire world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! It's been a while. The closer we get to the end, the longer it takes me to write up each chapter, it seems. That's just because I want to make each one better than the last. I think I'm doing that. The next chapters will really determine that, though. Look forward to them. ;) I'm not sure if I'll finish the next chapter of this or the second chapter of [Three Little Words](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8516974/chapters/19521490) first, but it'll be one or the other. Haha. Stay tuned.
> 
> As always, let me know what you think in the comments below. I love talking with you guys and seeing your reactions. :)


	19. They Lived for Titan

Watching Jackson perform live, in front of thousands of his fans, was an experience that Mark knew he would never forget. The passion and joy that oozed from his entire being while on stage showed, making it impossible for Mark to take his eyes off him. He was an intoxicating presence that dared anyone to look away. Clearly no one in the entire building was strong enough to do anything else.

Seeing the smile stretched across Jackson’s face and giggles that escaped his lips almost made Mark forget about all the times the boy thought about quitting. He almost forgot about how many times in just the past few months alone he’d considered leaving it all. “It’d be nice just to have a normal life, you know?” he’d say. “To go to the airport without worrying someone might get trampled because of how many people follow me around. Or just walk to the store at the end of the street without having a stranger try and talk to me when all I want to do is just eat my damn food. Be able to go out with you without caring about who might see.”

All the things Jackson endured because of his fans sounded unbearable to Mark. He’d never blamed Jackson for wanting to leave that life behind. But now, seeing with his own eyes how much Jackson loved what he did, Mark would never let him quit. Not if he could help it.

Even once the three boys had exited the stage for good after their second encore reappearance, fans still lingered for a few minutes. The hope they had to see their favorites even just one more minute was impressive, to say the least. Jackson’s parents got escorted backstage almost immediately, doing their best to slip away before the fans had time to line up for pictures with them. Seeing just how many people watched them and yelled their names as they walked away, Mark understood why they were in such a hurry.

He decided to stay back while the fans slowly started to file out of the arena. A few of the more die-hard fans recognized him, asking him for pictures and trying to strike up conversations. He hesitantly agreed to the pictures, but couldn’t understand most of them enough to even understand their greetings, let alone any questions they asked him. Even if they did speak English or Mandarin, he pretended he didn’t understand, hoping they’d just leave him alone. He never wanted to be recognized by strangers, let alone anything close to famous. He wasn’t about to start accepting the responsibilities, either. He wasn’t mean or rude to any of the fans, he just didn’t try to talk to any of them.

The requests were few and far between, though. He watched groups of girls walk out together, all of them holding banners and fans and slogans with Jackson’s face printed on them. There were some that had Yugyeom or BamBam merchandise instead, but Mark barely even noticed them. They all laughed as they left, pointing and dancing as they walked, reliving some of their favorite moments from the past few hours. He knew that some of them probably even considered this one of the best nights of their lives, just because they got to stand in the same building as Titan, breathing the same air.

They lived for the trio.

Mark didn’t even realize he’d been lost in his own thoughts until he felt lips on his neck. He jumped a few inches out of his seat, leaning away from whoever had just kissed him until he turned to see Jackson’s grinning face leaning over from the row behind him. “You scared me,” Mark muttered as his body melted back into his chair. The idol just laughed, nimbly hopping over the chairs to take a seat next to Mark. The arena buzzed with the sounds of the tear-down crew, already working away at disassembling the entire production. It was strange seeing all the work that went into such a seemingly simple thing like a stage or a row of lights. Everything was more complex than it seemed.

“What were you thinking about?” Jackson asked. He didn’t bother to look at Mark, instead focusing on the mess of workers below as well.

“I don’t know,” Mark admitted. “I guess I’m just processing everything. You have a lot of fans.”

Jackson nodded. “Did they scare you?”

It was a question that most people would expect to be asked as a joke. Something that famous people laughed about when the masses weren’t around. But Jackson was 100 percent serious.

“They intimidated me, I guess,” he said. “They know so much about you. They really love you.”

Sighing, Jackson turned to look at Mark. “They don’t know anything about me. Not really. They only know what I let them know.” He glanced down for a second to find Mark’s hand, picking it up in his own, before looking back up. “They don’t know me like you do.”

Mark tried to bite back the laugh that raised up in his throat, but he couldn’t hold it all back. A quick snort burst out. “I’m not worried they’ll take you away or something, Jackson,” he said, trying not to let his voice be laced with laughter. He squeezed the boy’s hand lightly, letting himself be reminded that they were finally together again.

“Good,” Jackson replied. His grin had turned to a slightly-embarrassed smile, eyes darting away every now and then. “You know no one can replace you. You’re it for me.”

“I know.” It was all Mark could bring himself to say.

“Anyway, I had to come find you before we left,” Jackson continued. Mark raised a brow questioningly. The way Jackson said “we” made it sound like he wasn’t included. “I’ve gotta leave separately with the guys, since we have to go do some post-concert debriefings and stuff, but it won’t take too long. We’ll be back in like an hour or so to take you and my parents out for a late dinner. Is that okay?”

Mark smirked and looked down at their hands, woven together so naturally. The way Jackson checked in with him, even about things he could control like business meetings, made his insides warm up a little. He hated being apart from Jackson, knowing how little time they had together to begin with, but he couldn’t expect to demand every second of his attention. “As if me saying no would make any difference,” Mark joked, the edges of his lips curling up into a sad smile.

“I mean, I haven’t ever had a diva outburst before. Maybe I could start tonight,” he joked, leaning in to press his lips against Mark’s. “I’m sure Bam and Gyeom will be fine on their own,” he muttered between kisses. “Get us a little more alone time.”

Laughing, Mark pushed Jackson back. “You can’t just stop doing your job because I’m here,” he said. Jackson opened his mouth to say something, but Mark continued before he could utter a word. “I’m sure the others are waiting for you. Go. I’ll wait for you to finish up. Just don’t take too long. I leave tomorrow morning.”

Jackson’s eyes widened. “You expect me to go anywhere without you when you’re leaving tomorrow?” he whined. “I can’t do that. I’ll barely even get to see you.”

The voice didn’t work on Mark. He’d heard it too many times over the phone and on video chat. Jackson always whined when he complained about how they never got to see each other or about how unfair it was that they had to live on the opposite side of the world. Mark just stood up, pulling Jackson up with him, and wrapped his arms around the idol’s chest, pulling him close. “We have all night to spend together,” he said, voice muffled since he’d buried his face in the crook of Jackson’s shoulder. “I promise I’ll wait to sleep until I’m on the plane.”

Arms slid around Mark’s waist and lips pressed into his hair. “I’ll make the meeting quick,” Jackson whispered. Mark moved back just enough to look Jackson in the eyes, and nodded. They both leaned in, neither really initiating the kiss rather than just letting themselves pull each other in naturally, only to break apart sooner than either of them liked.

They separated in silence, letting their arms drop back to their sides like limp noodles as Jackson slowly made his way back toward the backstage area. He glanced over his shoulder a few times, smiling and waving, even blowing an overly-exaggerated kiss once before disappearing behind the large metal doors leading to one of the many staircases.

Mark sighed, feeling an ache in his chest that was different than any other he’d felt before. It was painful and sharp, like what he usually felt when he had to watch Jackson leave, but there was a dull, throbbing undertone that spread across his entire chest and made it hard to breathe.

He needed to get back to his hotel room. He needed to drink some water and lie down. He needed to figure out how everything had changed within such a short time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's so much to say. >< First off, this chapter was initially meant to cover more, but I cranked out this much in one sitting and it had been so long since I updated, so I figured I may as well split what I meant to initially write into two chapters so that I can share this part with you all now.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who's been patient with me concerning these updates. I know that they're taking longer and longer for me to post, but there's been a lot going on in my real life that has taken me away from writing either literally or in spirit. To be honest, at the end of 2016, I wasn't even sure if I was going to finish this story. I knew how it was all going to end and I sort of got burnt out. Writing a 2k+ word chapter that I see as acceptable to release to all of you is a battle with myself each and every time around. So you can see how after writing 18 chapters in a year, it got a little overwhelming. I didn't have a lot of confidence in what I was writing (I still don't, but that's a personal battle I think I'll always have to fight) and I was, honestly, a little fed up with the fandom as a whole. The drama got to be too much and I just distance myself. I found other things to enjoy. I started reading actual books again.
> 
> Basically, I needed to just step away from everything for a while. Before today, I honestly hadn't even looked at my Bringing Color documents once since I released the last chapter. But today, I guess I got inspired again. I got that drive back to finish what I started. So here we are! With this update now split into two, there's about 7 more chapters before BC will be at an end, and I really want to finish it.
> 
> I've got more time on my hands these days, so hopefully you won't have to wait a whole month, let alone two, for the next update. ;)
> 
> As always, feel free to follow me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/infectiouskpop) or share anything with me on [Tumblr](http://infectiouskpop.tumblr.com/).


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